Our Team
Mr Brown - Head of Design & Technology Faculty
Miss Berry - Head of Food Preparation & Nutrition
Mr Shakir - Teacher of Product Design and Engineering
Mrs Jones - Teacher of Textile Design
Mrs Weaver - Teacher of Food Preparation & Nutrition and Textile Design
Mr Armitage - Design & Technology Technician
Mrs Corr - FPN Technician
Design & Technology Department
Our Vision
- To become a beacon of excellence with The Radclyffe School
- To develop student intellectual curiosity and encourage a lifelong interest in problem-solving, experimentation and the way everyday products are designed and manufactured.
- To equip our students with transferable skills including independence, resilience and organisation to prepare them for their future careers.
- To empower our students with the expertise, knowledge and cultural capital for a rapidly changing and technological world. One which they can contribute confidently and positively to, no matter their starting point.
Teaching and Learning
Key Stage 3 - Year 7 - 9
Following research carried out, we have carefully re-designed our new, interleaved, learning sequences using scenarios rather than project names in order to better promote student interest, improve engagement in the subject and provide a 21st century experience for our students. D+T threshold knowledge requirements are embedded and all learning is now underpinned by KS3 national curriculum requirements.
To fully prepare our students for the demands of the GCSE we use standardised, high-quality learning resources (PowerPoints and booklets) to simulate and model the PROUD expectations required when completing NEA work and independent home learning. Opportunities to develop literacy stamina and maths rigour are included throughout in-line with our school policy.
To ensure the strengths of our specialist staff are fully utilised, we continue to run a rotation-led timetable for our students. This proven strategy ensures each individual receives a high-quality and consistent educational diet, which provides an in-depth insight into specific material areas and which minimises shared teaching.
Each of our rotations covers approximately 19 hours (13 weeks) in a class of 24-26 students.
Key Stage 4 - Year 10 & 11
We offer the 2-year Edexcel GCSE in Design and Technology and the NCFE Level 1/2 Technical Award in Engineering. Our students are given 5 hours of learning time per fortnight for the course durations.
Year 10
Our students are introduced to the examination specifications and the timetable is divided 3:2. Students are given the opportunity to undertake a practise, walk and talk NEA (D+T) or synoptic project (Engineering) for 3 hours a fortnight based on a historical contextual challenge or brief. Interleaved appropriately are a number of FPTs (focussed practical tasks) which provide opportunity to recall KS3 knowledge and skills, building metacognition whilst building a new competence tool kit which will be called upon in Year 11.
For the remaining 2 hours students prepare for their Year 11 examination with a focus on the specification knowledge requirements. Both examinations have been written to assess both theoretical and practical workshop knowledge of the specialist areas. For both qualifications, students are provided with carefully designed, colour-coded class work and home learning unit booklets, alongside exercise books for note taking and use this time to develop their subject knowledge and exam technique over time.
Year 11
In Design and Technology, our students are given a deadline for the actual NEA and this takes priority in all 5 lessons per fortnight, until February half-term. Where appropriate, exam-style questioning is embedded, underpinned with home learning tasks in order to further strengthen metacognition and recall threshold knowledge and skills.
After February half-term exam preparation is prioritised with a focus on units 1-3. Class work and home learning booklets are again called upon to secure knowledge and build confidence prior to the Summer examination. Any incomplete NEA work is given a final Easter deadline and students utilise mastery sessions where required.
In Engineering, the actual synoptic project is released in September of Year 11. The first term is planned and sequenced carefully to conclude practise synoptic work from Year 10 and to address any new skills and knowledge gaps required to tackle the synoptic project with confidence in January. Examination retrieval style questions are carefully planned during this period of learning to support examination knowledge retrieval.
Assessment
KS3
Students are assessed on their ability to complete a range of scenario-focused, Design + Technology tasks with a focus on investigating, designing, making and evaluating to support their knowledge and understanding of the iterative process. Students are regularly assessed verbally and formally assessed every 3 weeks using written teacher feedback after each assessment, MAD time is made available for student progression. Self and peer assessment are also embedded within each sequence of lessons to further facilitate student progression.
KS4
In both Design and Technology and Engineering, students are taught for 5 hours per fortnight. 3 hours is allocated to a practise NEA or synoptic project and 2 hours to examination preparation.
In both options, students are assessed on their ability to complete an NEA (Non-exam assessment) synoptic project and an examination. The weighting being 50/50 for D+T and 60/40 for Engineering.
In Year 10, students are assessed on their ability to complete a practice 'walk and talk' NEA or synoptic project using a previous design context or synoptic brief. Alongside this, students are graded on their ability to answer examination questions with a focus on units 4-6 for D+T and content areas 1-5 in Engineering.
In Year 11, students are assessed on their ability to complete their actual NEA or synoptic project using a new design context or synoptic brief released at the start of the academic year. Alongside this, students are graded on their ability to answer examination questions with a focus on units 1-3 in D+T and content areas 6-9 in Engineering.
Examination questions are also interleaved into the NEA lesson delivery to secure student knowledge.
Resources and Rooms
We have state of the art facilities including access to a range of specialist tools, equipment and processes including CAM. We have four multi-functional rooms, all with IT access and dedicated areas for written learning, practical tasks and computer use.
Home Learning
Here at The Radclyffe School, we set home learning to further knowledge and understanding of the Design + Technology curriculum and to develop student independence, organization and resilience. This work is often showcased on our recently redesigned Wall of Fame and PROUD displays.
This continues in KS4 in addition to developing examination technique using home learning booklets.
Extra-Curricular Activities
At The Radclyffe School, we offer opportunities for students to enrich their Design + Technology and Engineering learning through competitions such as STEM on track and we run various lunchtime enrichment sessions each half term.
Food Preparation & Nutrition Department Department
Miss Berry
Head of Food Preparation & Nutrition
Our Vision
Here at The Radclyffe School we aim to instill a love of cooking, it’s a way to express your creativity. We strive to make you aware of the impact your food choices can make to yourself, your community and as a global citizen. In your Food Preparation and Nutrition lessons we aim to equip you with the knowledge to be healthy and responsible for a healthier, sustainable future.
Teaching and Learning
Key Stage 3 - Year 7 - 9
In Key Stage 3 your child will have a thirteen-week rotation of food lessons in a class of 20-26 students and they will have three lessons over the two-week time table. After introductory lessons they will have the opportunity to cook every other lesson making between 6 and 8 dishes.
Students will make a range of food products from pizza to pasta, chicken goujons to Swiss Rolls and have fun during the process and get to build on team work and leadership skills.
Key Stage 4 - Year 10 & 11
Students who choose Food Preparation and Nutrition as a GCSE option will have 5 hours of learning over the two-week timetable. During this time they will study 6 topics; Food Safety and Hygiene, Nutrition, Food Choice, Food Science, Food Provenance and Food Preparation. The time is split between learning practical skills and theory.
Assessment
Students are assessed in regards to their practical skills and their theory work. Year 7 focus is on basic nutrition and healthy eating, Year 8 focus on Food Safety and Hygiene and Year 9 have a focus on Food Choice and Provenance. They are formally assessed once during the thirteen weeks practically and once theoretically.
Key stage 4 assessment occurs after each topic has been delivered but also includes previous topics to build on their knowledge and recall abilities.
Resources and Rooms
We have state of the art facilities with industrial cookers and hobs and stainless-steel work surfaces, ideal for quick efficient sanitation and easy to utilize and facilitate all practical aspects, with students making excellent food products. We have 2 food rooms with similar industrial set ups. The kitchen areas are separate from the theory classroom which is unusual in a school and sets us apart. Our food rooms have multiple computers within them to support with research and we have four multi- functional rooms with ICT access with areas for written learning, practical learning and computer work.
Home Learning
Here at the Radclyffe we set home learning to further students understanding of nutrition, food safety and development of practical skills in Key Stage 3, the home learning includes one practical to do at home and a research home learning. These are often completed to an excellent standard and showcased on the 'WOW' display boards as PROUD work. This continues in Key Stage 4 as well as to develop examination techniques.
Extra-Curricular Activities
At the Radclyffe School we take part in Rotary Chef competition where they have to apply and be selected, we then have guest chefs come in to the competitions and judge our students. We have had lots of success with this in prior years with our students getting through to the national finals. We also run an Elite Cooking club where Key Stage 3 students can learn high level challenging cooking skills. We also offer Mastery sessions where students can book in to get assistance with their learning and we offer booster classes during the school holidays to support with exam preparation. As a school each half term we run an 'ELAT' where we offer the students an opportunity to sign up to make something fun in the kitchen; these have included sugar roses and cake decorating, themed biscuits and cake making.
