The Design Technology Department
The DT department, situated in the well-equipped Wavell Centre, has a suite of rooms, including a spacious workshop, an electronics lab and a design room, complete with Smart Board and 12 networked computers. The best feature of the department is how the workshop facilities are available to be used in free time for boys to design and make whatever they wish. Projects vary in scale from scenery for model soldiers to skateboard ramps, from pocket torches to dog beds. The boys are introduced to a wide range of practical activities, with a strong emphasis on individual design. Work is broadly based upon National Curriculum guidelines, but the facilities available enable us to explore many areas in greater depth than would normally be expected.
In the first two years at the school we mostly use wood, learning conventional techniques, as well as gaining a level of competence in handling basic power tools. Each product is designed with an intended user in mind and is ‘evaluated’ at the end of the project to assess the success of the product. A recent development has enabled the department to broaden its horizons and Food Technology is now taught in the lower part of the school. As they progress through the school, boys are introduced to different materials (thermoplastics, smart materials, metal) and are taught basic electronics. Their work also includes topics on energy, structures, mechanisms, pneumatics and hydraulics. Cross-curricular activities often link up with other subject areas. In the First Year (Year 4), Science and Technology are brought together into a broad practically-based subject. The computers in the Design Room are widely used for research, for planning and designing. They are used for computer control, and also support a CAD package (Design Tools 2D Design), which is used to run a Roland CAM machine and the department’s most recent addition, a Mercury Laser cutter.