As GCSE Design Technology is non-compulsory, the department selects areas of chosen speciality and/or importance to cover KS3.  The emphasis is on understanding the design process and applying it to any situation.  This enables students to attack design problems with an open-minded and experimental approach.  The department received an excellent inspection report, which specifically highlighted the experimental and non spoon-fed approach.

The department consists of two fully fitted workshops with attached ICT office and store.  Additionally, there is a dedicated graphics room with CAD/CAM facility and integral computers.  All computers are linked to the central network.

Year 7
Electronic Christmas Card
This project addresses the use of different media in a combined Electronics, Control and Graphics focused project. This sees a thermoplastic sheet vacuum formed around a mould and a small electronic circuit designed, built and attached to the shell and incorporated into a presentation card.

Picture Frame
Students design and manufacture a softwood picture frame with acrylic panel, which may be adorned with individual choice of material.

Game
Students design and manufacture a ball bearing location game from acrylic and/or MDF which is manufactured on the CAD/CAM machine. Project may be themed around students' choice. Emphasis is on understanding of industrial processes and manufacture.

Year 8
Kaleidoscope
Students research, design and manufacture a kaleidoscope from acrylic and card. Focus begins on history of the same and goes through behaviour of light with mirrors and packaging aimed at a specific market.

Art Deco clock
Students research the Art Deco movement with particular focus upon Eltham Palace - this then leads into the design and manufacture of an acrylic clock in this style.

Year 9
Interior Design
Extensive research is carried out into ergonomics, anthropometrics, colour, materials and planning data before students design and make a scale model of a room interior at 1:20. Co-ordination with their peers is crucial, as the team builds a complete interlinking house. Furniture and fittings are manufactured from whatever material is considered most appropriate.

Pandora's Box
Students opt to manufacture either a 100mm sq or 200x100mm timber box at a height of 70mm or 100mm. They may incorporate dividing panels, secret compartments or inserts as required. The lid may be a plug or hinge type. The box is then decorated in whatever the student deems appropriate.

GCSE Product Design
All students opting for Design Technology follow the AQA GCSE Product Design course.  Yr10 is a skill building year, whereby students learn to really push their own skills and thought processes to the limit in order that they are fully prepared for Yr11.  This is facilitated through design and manufacture of a multi-media storage unit that incorporates use of metals, timber and thermoplastics. This enables them to understand their own areas of strength and hence fine tune their chosen Yr11 project.  During the final year they closely follow the design process researching, designing and manufacturing a product of their own choosing such as a magazine rack, game, stool, architectural model etc

AS/A2 Product Design

All students follow the AQA AS/A2 Product Design course. At AS level, students design and manufacture two projects, the first is a constraining MDF based exercise where either a Bauhaus table or sundial is made. The second is open-ended and students design a lighting project using whatever materials they choose. Previous designs have included concrete, mild steel, brick walls, tubular aluminium etc The A2 year consists of either a single directed storage system or individually designed project, while students also produce an in depth product study looking at an individual area of design chosen by themselves.

Departmental trips include a biennial visit to the South Bank in London .  Incorporated are Hay's Galleria, some of the Dockland areas, an exhibition at the Design Museum , Tate Modern, Millennium Bridge , Coin Street development (including the Oxo Tower ) and the Royal Festival Hall. This alternates with an Art Deco focused visit to Eltham Palace .

  Results

Academic year 2004-05 saw results as below:

GCSE 100% A - B with 48% Grade A* and 81% Grade A* or A
NB! one student achieved one of the top five scores in the country.

A2 100% A - C with 50% Grade A