Our KS3 curriculum is designed to instil a love of creativity by building student confidence and independence in designing, making and working with a range of traditional and non-traditional 3D tools, techniques and materials. Our key focus is to develop student’s creative thinking and practical skills as well as an understanding of the importance of sustainability as they focus on making products with care for the environment at the heart of all we do. We want students to be proud of what they make and happy to take it home.
Students will follow a rotation of the 3 areas on offer throughout KS3, completing projects in 3D Design, Food and Nutrition and Textiles. For 3D Design and Textiles, each project has a theme and is based around students working through a design process leading to the completion of practical outcomes. The aim of KS3 is to best prepare students for creative courses in KS4 so students follow the same process of research, experimentation, designing and outcomes. All projects also feature work on the importance of sustainability and raise awareness of environmental issues related to the design industry.
IN KS3 Food and Nutrition the focus is on developing a passion for cooking healthy and nutritious meals with an emphasis on good nutrition, sustainability, ethical issues in the food industry and developing practical cooking skills and good eating habits for life.
Homework’s set in Technology are aimed at consolidating work produced in class and could take the form of improving literacy skills through key word tasks, research tasks, design tasks and the consolidation of knowledge for the area in which they are working.
Students are assessed through Ozone tasks relevant to the theme of their project alongside the practical outcomes they produce.
Ensure that your child arrives to lessons with their planner, pen, pencil and ruler. Support your child with their homework and if they wish to allow them to attend after school activities. Help foster enthusiasm for creativity in all areas of design and making by visiting galleries and museums whenever possible. Help develop motor skills by involving them in activities at home such as helping in meal preparation (shopping, cooking and washing-up), helping with the maintenance of textiles products (washing, ironing and repairing), and any job that requires the use of basic tools.
Course Title and type of qualification: GCSE 3D Design
GCSE 3D Design provides students with an exciting opportunity to build upon KS3. The main focus of this course is to equip students with the knowledge, understanding, and skills required to investigate, experiment with, design and make products using a range of traditional and non-traditional materials including ceramics, woods, metals and plastics.
Develop their creativity through investigations and experimentation. Develop design skills both manually. Use 3D materials, techniques and equipment in a safe and competent manner. Evaluate their own work. Develop ideas and knowledge through following the design process and developing an appreciation of the work of others and how to take inspiration from it. Develop an understanding of health and safety considerations in a studio environment. Develop communication skills through a range of media.
Students are assessed against four equally weighted (25%) assessment objectives:
Assessment Objective 1 = INVESTIGATE– Develop your ideas relating your work to the work of other designers or crafts people.
Assessment Objective 2 = EXPERIMENT – Refine your ideas through the experimentation and selection of appropriate materials, media, tools and techniques.
Assessment Objective 3 = RECORD – Record your ideas in the form that is appropriate to your creative intentions including drawing, photography, model making
Assessment Objective 4 = PRESENT – Present your ideas in the form of outcome(s) which clearly tell the story of your investigations and experimentations.
The GCSE AQA 3D Design specification is split into two parts.
Part 1 (Coursework) and Part 2 (Externally Set Task).
Coursework (60% of final grade) – Students must complete more than one in depth project covering all four assessment objectives and present a selection of this work for internal and external moderation (by examiners from AQA). The coursework unit is on-going from September in Year 10 until the end of year 11 and all work produced throughout the course counts towards the final grade.
Externally Set Task (40% of final grade) – Students are presented with a range of starting points, chosen by the exam board, to use as inspiration for their own 3D Design project. Students must ensure that they cover all four assessment objectives in the development of their ideas. Students complete their final piece over 10 hours with 2 days off timetable to work completely independently on their outcomes.
Whether you chose to pursue a career in 3D design or not, the subject offers much in terms of skills that you acquire and develop which are highly sought after by colleges and employers alike. In a world where even the most complex factual information is merely a click away, the ability to conceive and develop an idea with creativity and originality is highly prized, alongside practical skills.
The traditional pathway for students wishing to pursue their interest in 3D Design is to undertake an A-Level course and then go onto an Art Foundation course post-18 before starting an undergraduate degree.
The skills that students gain from studying 3D lead naturally to career paths including: Designer, Maker, Artist, Art Teacher, Technology teacher, Fashion and accessories Designers, interior designers, Illustrators, Jewellery designers, Arts therapist, Arts worker, working in the film industry, set/stage design, make-up, careers in Marketing and Advertising and many more. 3D Design can set you up for a career in a wide variety of industries such as product design, engineering, architecture, information technology and can also act as a complimentary subject to, Art, Fashion and Textiles and Hospitality and Catering. This qualification will support students to move on to any qualification in the areas of Art and Design at KS5. Often students that study 3D Design GCSE go on to further their education by studying A/AS Level Product Design, Fashion, Textiles or Ceramics at College or seek apprenticeships within the subject field.
Course Title and type of qualification: AQA GCSE Food Nutrition and Preparation
Working in food or cookery requires a passion for food and this creative course focuses on practical cooking skills to ensure students develop a thorough understanding of nutrition, food provenance and the working characteristics of food materials. At its heart, this qualification focuses on nurturing students' practical cookery skills to give them a strong understanding of nutrition.
Food preparation skills are integrated into five core topics:
Food, nutrition and health
Food science
Food safety
Food choice
Food provenance.
Prepare and cook dishes using a variety of skills.
Ensure a safe and hygienic working environment.
Understand food and its functions in the body and in recipes.
Plan and produce dishes
Unit 1 (written exam, 50% of final grade)
This exam relates to the 5 areas of theoretical knowledge of food preparation and nutrition, food, nutrition and health, food science, food safety, food choice, food provenance.
Unit 2 (Non Exam Assessment, 50% of final grade)
Students must establish investigative skills, on a theme selected by the exam board, and use appropriate research in order to show their understanding of how and when all of the skills and techniques in Food preparation can be applied and combined. They must also plan, prepare and present dishes to answer a brief.
Pupils who achieve GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition qualification could progress to:Diplomas in professional cookery, careers including chef, nutritionist, catering, food marketing, food scientist, dietician, Examination Board: AQA
