Wey Valley Academy

Design & Technology

Technology Teaching Staff

  • Mr N Petchey – Curriculum Leader & Teacher of Design and Technology
  • Ms A Hull – Teacher of Design and Technology
  • Ms V Woods – Teacher of Design and Technology
  • Mr B Hackland – Teacher of Engineering and of Design and Technology
  • Ms V Harmey – Teacher of Hospitality & Catering
  • Ms L Jones – Teacher of Hospitality & Catering
  • Ms J Rodgers – Teacher of Hospitality & Catering

Why Design and Technology is important

The Design and Technology Department at Wey Valley Academy strives to place creativity alongside practical skills and knowledge at the forefront of its teaching. Application of the ‘iterative design process’ empowers students to take risks, explore possibilities which result in creative outcomes, we feel that this is design at its core and what will enable our students to flourish and succeed in forms of assessment and accreditation. Each student is challenged work towards an understanding of design and technical processes and choices of media. This encompasses tools and equipment in design studios, computer suites to workshops and catering environments. This is a fundamental aspect of why our department is so important in that students are challenged in unique environments, working in exciting contexts for lifelong learning.

Teaching and Learning in Design and Technology

We aim to keep our delivery of teaching and learning in line with developments in new technologies to explore creative possibilities in design and catering subject areas. Students learn that good design and catering practice is that which solves problems and carefully considers the needs of the end user, so students are given real world contexts to link their school projects to industry practice. In catering students are challenged to create dishes that are comparable to that of professional outcomes and trends. In design students are challenged to consider contemporary issues and design through the iterative design process be it within Textiles, Timbers, Engineering or Systems specialisms. In all areas of the department, it is important to consider target audiences, sustainability and ethical issues further promoting real world contexts within the work completed within the department. Students reflect critically on their own and others’ work, judging quality, value and meaning. Fundamentally, students learn to think and act as creatives, developing an appreciation of creative subjects and their role in creative and cultural industries that enrich their lives.

Key Stage 3

Students start each academic phase at KS3 with a foundation ‘Design and Technology unit’ that aims to address the function of Design and Technology at our school and its wider role in a broad and balanced curriculum offer, STEAM contexts and other links to subjects taught at our school. The foundation unit provides challenges to apply the iterative design process to solve design problems at increasing levels of difficulty for each year group. Later in the year students build upon their term one experiences completing a series of specialism focused projects each half term. We progress students’ depth of knowledge and experience within each subject offered at GCSE. We strive to ensure that in year 9 students are empowered to make a suitable department option choices in line with future further educational and career pathways.

Key Stage 4

We are very lucky at Wey Valley Academy to boast a wide range of subject specialist teaching staff whom work within specialist rooms. We currently offer the following subjects within the Design and Technology department

  • Design and Technology GCSE: Led by CAL Mr N Petchey
  • Hospitality and Catering – Led by Ms V Harmey
  • Engineering – Led by Mr B Hackland

Extra-curricular opportunities

Within the Design and Technology Department students complete a varied set of experiences in our extra-curricular opportunities time slot on Wednesdays after school. We work with students as a team moving from Design and Technology to Engineering and Hospitality and Catering specialist learning environments to stretch and challenge students ambitions in the curriculum area as a whole.

GCSE Specification

Click to view GCSE Specification – Design and Technology

Click to view GCSE Specification – Engineering

Click to view GCSE Specification – Hospitality and Catering

Click to view GCSE Specification – Food preparation and Nutrition