Bangor Grammar School

Technology and Design

Staff

Mr John Titterington

Mr Matthew Black

Mr Matthew Armstrong-Sanchez

Mr Stuart King (Technician)

Subject Overview

The Technology and Design curriculum is developed to motivate and inspire the creative potential in all pupils by incorporating a range of thinking and learning skills together with the opportunity to experience and develop techniques and processes in a wide range of materials.

Accommodation 

The Technology and Design department has three fully equipped general purpose workshops, one dedicated systems room and three planning rooms. Each workshop backs onto a materials store.

6th Form Work room

30 PCs

Project store

Achievements

Over the last number of years the pupils have been involved in number of competitions including Bombardier Flight Experience (KS3) , Wooden Smoothing Plane Making Challenge, Arkwright Engineering Scholarship, Green Schools Competition (Finalists) and Forestside Remote Control Car Grand Prix (Overall Winners 2015 and 2016).

Key Stage 3

At Key stage 3 pupils are given the opportunity to have first-hand experience sketching, CAD CAM, manufacturing techniques, electronics and programming.

Year 8

The main emphasis in Year 8 is to develop knowledge of materials and their working properties and a range of manufacturing skills.

Year 9

In Year 9 the emphasis is towards electronics and mechanisms along with the continued development of manufacturing skills explored through three projects, a transistor based Moisture Sensor, an aluminium Coat Hook and a balsa Delta Dart aircraft. 

Year 10

In Year 10 there is further study of electronics including PIC, computer control, graphic skills, product design including the use of specialist software in preparation for GCSE.

Key Stage 4

GCSE Technology and Design currently follows the CCEA specification with a specialism in mechanisms and pneumatics for the unit two examination. The course allows pupils to refine and develop their existing knowledge, skills and understanding of materials, processes, techniques, electronics, mechanisms and pneumatics.

Key Stage 5

AS’ and ‘A2’ Level Technology and Design allows pupils to further the skills and concepts learnt at GCSE level. Pupils can develop and enhance their creative, intellectual and technical abilities by taking the ‘AS’ course as the first half of the ‘A2’ Level qualification and completing a coursework portfolio centred around a product re-design and an examination. 
At ‘A2’ Level a systems design coursework element and an examination are undertaken which gives pupils the opportunity to express their technical strengths and personal areas of interest in the subject. Mechanisms and pneumatics are the areas studied as the option theory material at both AS and A2. 

Career Opportunities

Technology and Design opens a number of potential doors in terms of careers. In Bangor Grammar School a wide range or material is covered at A- Level, be it the physical content, the various methods of working with materials and assembling them, organising the individual’s time or instilling a methodical way of solving a technological problem. In the past pupils have gone on to study in the following areas.

  • Graphic designer
  • Games developer
  • Software engineer
  • Network engineer
  • Web design
  • Mechanical engineering
  • Product design
  • The construction industry
  • Surveying
  • Manufacturing engineer
  • Architecture
 

 

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