Technology
Curriculum Intent
The intent of our Technology curriculum is to deliver a broad, balanced and ambitious suite of programmes of study that consider the curriculum in its widest sense, ensuring that all pupils, no matter their starting points, backgrounds and individual needs, are afforded the same opportunities and an equal chance to succeed by giving them the knowledge, skills and personal attributes that they need when entering the workplace or next phase of education.
At all Key Stages, pupils will engage with scaffolded, carefully considered opportunities to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts. Through evaluation of past and present Design and Technology disciplines, they develop a critical understanding of how products within those subjects’ impact on daily life and the wider world developing a sense of achievement, self-awareness and fulfilment in the creation of work that develops a degree of self-knowledge as learners, as producers and consumers, and as visually and culturally aware young people.
KS3 contains craft-based focused projects that provide a strong foundation for KS4. We offer students four different paths that collectively satisfy the aims of the KS3 National Curriculum, which are Product Design, 3-D Design, Textiles and Food. As these are all available to pursue at KS4 we interpret the requirements of national strategies to provide schemes of work that provide a solid foundation for the demands at GCSE by identifying starting points, waypoints and end points. KS3 is an opportunity to provide those creative experiences that will bridge the gap disadvantage in school, to offer individual solutions for pupils to access the foundational knowledge pupils need in order to access and understand the further curriculum. We use Year 7 to consolidate and extend what was taught at KS1 and KS2 and teach at Novice level. We offer pupils a first-hand understanding of the importance of design and help pupils develop practical skills that effectively joins the knowledge, skills, and attributes learned within school to wider society and the world of work.
KS4 is a strong foundation for KS5 and we interpreting the requirements of GCSE courses to provide schemes of work that and reflect the employment opportunities in our particular locality, and also provide a solid foundation for the demands at A Level by identifying starting points, waypoints and end points. KS4 is taught at Intermediate level and for all pupils is, challenging, supportive and relevant which enables all learners to gain a range of practical skills and understanding that will enable them to have the cultural capital to participate in wider society with confidence.
KS5 is a strong foundation for life outside school and allows pupils to progress onto University Degrees or Apprenticeships. We interpret the requirements of A Level courses to guide individual learning pathways and is taught at Advanced level, encouraging pupils to apply theoretical knowledge & practical skills to a range of learning opportunities.
Curriculum Documents
Teaching and Learning
In Technology, we deliver an ambitious, inclusive curriculum that ensures all students access the full breadth of content. Our teaching vision focuses on high expectations and embedding the 3Rs: Ready, Respectful, Responsible. Lessons follow the school’s Blue Coat approach; explaining and modeling, do and practice, and using the 4forAll Toolkit: key words/reading, time management, chunking/checking, questioning, and providing appropriate verbal, written and visual feedback. Reading is a key strategy, with staff using “Jump In,” the “3-Second Rule,” and “Echo Reading” techniques to support learning.
How can parents help?
The Fashion and Textile Museum is the only museum in the UK dedicated to showcasing contemporary fashion and textile design. The Museum is committed to presenting varied, creative and engaging exhibitions, alongside an exciting selection of educational courses, talks, events and workshops. In place of a permanent collection is a diverse programme of temporary exhibitions, displaying a broad range of innovative fashion and textiles from designers and makers around the world.
The V&A is the world’s leading museum of art and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects, books and archives that span over 5,000 years of human creativity. The museum holds many of the UK’s national collections and houses some of the greatest resources for the study of architecture, furniture, fashion, textiles, photography, sculpture, painting, jewellery, glass, ceramics, book arts, Asian art and design, theatre and performance.
Visits to our local galleries allow students to see artwork first hand and increase confidence in visiting such spaces and also knowledge about what does art look like. The Herbert Art Gallery in Coventry is free to visit and very welcoming. Other Galleries in the local area include Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, the Midland Arts Centre and the IKON gallery, all in Birmingham.
Options
- WJEC Eduqas GCSE Art and Design (Fine Art) C651QS
- WJEC Eduqas GCSE Art and Design (Textile Design) C653QS
- WJEC Eduqas GCSE Art and Design (Three-Dimensional Design) C655QS
- WJEC Eduqas GCSE Art and Design (Photography) C656QS
- WJEC Eduqas A level Art and Design (Fine Art) A651QS
- WJEC Eduqas A level Art and Design (Textile Design) A653QS
- WJEC Eduqas A level Art and Design (Graphic Communication) A654QS
- WJEC Eduqas A level Art and Design (Photography) A656QS
Enrichment & Experiences
Year 12 trip to Compton Verney to a Folk Costume Exhibition. Making Mischief: Folk Costume in Britain is the first exhibition dedicated to the rich tapestry of folk customs found in the UK today. It will explore the central role played by costume in local and seasonal folk customs, bringing together over 40 costumes created, customised and worn by individual practitioners, many of which have never been exhibited before.