West Hill Park School

Children can gain great satisfaction from using varied physical resources to create a product that meets either a perceived, or a contrived need. Children have an innate curiosity as to how and why things work. Design Technology lessons can extend and

enhance this natural curiosity by providing pupils with the opportunity to apply and develop further the skills they have already mastered through curiosity and play during their early years.

A large technology area is equipped to facilitate manual, power and computer-aided techniques for cutting, shaping, joining and finishing a wide range of materials to suit a design solution's needs.

Above this is a classroom based on the delivery of both

graphic and computer-aided design techniques, as well an electronics and textile suitable environment. Although the Head of Design Technology is consulted and advises on the delivery up to Year 3, it is only at this stage that the children begin to work in the main Workshop. Every child has 90 minutes of DT a week until they leave, taught by the Teacher as well as a technician in the majority of the classes.

The department is also open for 2 hours a week for club time, currently this club is for chemical fuel cell rockets, but rotates on a 3 year basis from teddy bears, to carpentry and through to rockets. It is also open most breaks and lunchtimes.

The department's overall goal is that every child leaves West Hill feeling that they not only can do DT, but really love DT.