Academic Subjects

    Design and Technology

    Design and Technology is a captivating and enriching journey that nurtures pupils' creative potential, igniting their imagination and inspiration.

    Our exceptional purpose-built facilities, impressive exam results, and pupils' remarkable achievements have firmly established our reputation for Design and Technology excellence.

    Design and Technology Classroom

    Meet The Staff

    Chris Mills - Head of Design and Technology

    Christopher Mills

    Head of Design & Technology / ECA Coordinator

    Our philosophy

    Our teaching philosophy revolves around providing an exciting and engaging experience for all students.

    We challenge their creativity and problem-solving skills through projects that encourage independent and practical thinking, employing a diverse range of materials.

    Our pupils continuously push the boundaries of their project work, showcasing their remarkable achievements within our school and in art, design, architecture, and engineering. We strive to empower them to become architects of change, transforming imaginative ideas into tangible solutions that shape a future where innovation thrives.

    Pupils are empowered to conceptualise and construct functional, visually appealing solutions to real-world challenges. It also enhances practical abilities such as woodworking, electronics, and CAD (Computer-Aided Design), equipping pupils with valuable transferable skills.

    Design and Technology education promotes teamwork and collaboration through group projects, developing effective communication and interpersonal skills. It instils an understanding of sustainability and the significance of responsible design practices.

    Our difference

    Design and Technology Bike

    Exceptional facilities that unleash creative potential

    Design & Technology is housed in the expansive, purpose-built Gough building, where we provide pupils with a comprehensive range of machinery and equipment, including drills, saws, lathes, welding tools, and cutting-edge technologies such as laser cutting and 3D printing.

    Furthermore, our CAD facilities enable pupils to develop their digital design skills using industry-standard software. We believe in providing our pupils with the latest resources to explore their creativity and fully realise their design ideas.

    Co-curricular motor racing

    Greenpower

    Greenpower, an educational charity, champions sustainable engineering and technology for young people, fostering entrepreneurship in various ways.

    Through the Greenpower Challenge, our pupils design, build, and race electric cars, honing practical engineering and entrepreneurial skills. Business partnerships offer real-world experiences, while sustainability values underscore the importance of social and environmental responsibility in entrepreneurship.

    Greenpower’s approach provides hands-on STEM education, promotes teamwork, creativity, and innovation, and exposes pupils to potential careers while instilling sustainability awareness. It enriches STEM education by making it engaging, relevant, and impactful for future innovators.

    Motor Racing ECA

    Beyond Bryanston

    Studying Design and Technology equips pupils with a versatile skill set, preparing them for future careers and empowering them to positively contribute to society.

    Many of our pupils pursue further studies in design-related disciplines such as industrial design, architecture, engineering, or product design. Some pupils enter apprenticeships or internships to gain practical experience in design firms, manufacturing companies, or technology-driven industries.

    Others may explore entrepreneurial endeavours, launching their own innovative startups. The versatile skill set developed through studying design and technology equips graduates for various careers, including product development, project management, design consultancy, and other creative fields.

    Design & Technology

    Our Design and Technology curriculum

    The Design and Technology curriculum offers diverse projects and experiences encouraging creativity, problem-solving, and practical thinking. Pupils explore various materials, technologies, and design processes, preparing them for future careers in engineering, architecture, product design, and more.

    • Year 9: Introduction to Design and Technology

      All pupils have the chance to develop a solid foundation in Design and Technology. We focus on cultivating pupils’ confidence, creativity, practical skills and high-quality work in preparation for GCSE.

    • GCSE Design and Technology

      During the initial two terms of Year 10, pupils focus on Resistant Materials while engaging in design, practical, and theory-focused. The course consists of three assessed units: A product design exam, a resistant materials exam and a coursework project spanning three terms.

    • A Level Design and Technology

      At A Level, pupils study Product Design. In the initial two terms of Year 12. The course consists of three assessed units:

      • A principals of product design written exam
      • A problem-solving in product design exam
      • An iterative design project where they present evidence of a substantial design, make, and evaluate project centred around ‘explore, create, and evaluate’.

    • International Baccalaureate (IB) Design and Technology

      IB Design and Technology fosters international-mindedness and interdisciplinary connections and explores technology’s impact through Theory of Knowledge questions.

      All standard and higher-level pupils complete the common core element, covering essential areas like human factors, ergonomics, resource management, and sustainable production. It also explores modelling, the journey from raw material to final product, innovation and design, and classic design.

      Higher-level pupils undertake the HL extension, engaging with four additional topics to deepen their understanding. These topics focus on user-centred design (UCD), sustainability, innovation and markets, and commercial production, introducing aspects of innovation.

    • Assessment

      The internal assessment involves a design project where pupils demonstrate investigative, analytical, design thinking, prototyping, testing, and evaluation skills. It mirrors real-world design processes and is assessed against analysing design opportunities, conceptual design, detailed design development, testing, and evaluation criteria. 

    Design & Technology – project photo galleries

    Design & Technology

    Talented teachers inspiring creative excellence and innovation

    We have an exceptional team of inspiring, talented, and highly experienced Design and Technology teaching staff.

    With their deep understanding of design principles, technical skills, and industry trends, they provide invaluable guidance to pupils, inspiring them to explore new ideas and push the boundaries of their creativity.

    Academic Subjects