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Marlwood School

3D Design

Vision

To ignite a passion in all students about how thoughtful, creative, sustainable design has the power to change the world. Through skill based project learning, students will gain the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to become confident learners, as well as empowered and informed consumers.

The DT Curriculum @ Marlwood

Curriculum Overview / map

DART Curriculum map can be found here.

KS3 Yr 7-9

Our KS3 studies in DT aim to:

  • Develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently.
  • Empower students with knowledge about sustainability, and how to make sustainable choices as both a designer and consumer.
  • Build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a range of users.
  • Critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products, and the work of others.

Knowledge organisers / vocabulary list

  • Key Vocabulary for projects can be accessed via your child’s Google Classroom account.

 Useful Weblinks/additional reading

YouTube has a wealth of useful information including; step-by-step tutorials of how to make a variety of items, episodes of design-related TV shows such as Abstract, and inspirational Ted Talks.

Online blogs/magazines such as WIRED, Dezeen, Core77, Yanko Design.

How to support your child

Fostering an appreciation and love of design is the most helpful thing you can do to support your child. This could be completed by:

  • Encourage your child to complete their homework (posted on Google Classroom), and take an interest in their work.
  • Encourage your child to make use of suggested websites, and engage in this with them.
  • Learning about the subject’s current form (as it has changed considerably in the last decade) and referring to it with the correct names. E.g. Design Technology as opposed to ‘woodwork’.

KS4 Curriculum Yr 10-11

GCSE Art and Design (Three-Dimensional Design)    

Exam board: AQA

NEA: 60%  Exam: 40% 

Assessment:

The GCSE is split into two units.

Unit 1: Portfolio 60% of qualification: 120 marks 

This unit can include any of the work produced in both Year 10 and Year 11, most of which will be documented within the students’ sketchbook.. A large part of the portfolio will be an Extended Project that spans Year 10 and 11 based on a theme set by the class teacher, with the specific subject matter developed by the student based on their personal strengths and interests.

Work undertaken within the unit will be both set and marked internally, with an external moderator visiting the school to review the internally set marks.

Unit 2: Externally Set Assignment (Exam) 40% of qualification: 80 marks

In January of Year 11 the exam board will release a selection of assignments based on themes, visual stimuli and written briefs. One of the assignments is to be selected by the student and used as a starting point which will require a personal, creative response. This journey is split into two parts:

Part 1: Preparatory study period 

After receiving the assignments students will work through this during class time exploring the theme. Student responses will take the form of practical, critical and contextual work which will be documented in their sketchbook. This will all be leading towards Part 2: 10 hour period of sustained focus work.

Part 2: 10 hour period of sustained focus work

The final piece of work based on the student’s ideas from Part 1 will be completed during a 10 hour period of time. During this time, students will work in supervised exam conditions.  

The Externally Set Assignment will be assessed by the teacher and externally moderated.  Both the preparatory work and sustained focus work will be assessed together using the assessment objectives.

AO1: Develop ideas through investigations, demonstrating critical understanding of sources.

AO2: Refine work by exploring ideas, selecting and experimenting with appropriate media, materials, techniques and processes.

AO3: Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions as work progresses.

AO4: Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and demonstrates understanding of visual language.

Areas of study may include:

  • Architectural design
  • Interior design
  • Product design
  • Exhibition design
  • Environmental/landscape design
  • Sculpture
  • Design for theatre, film and television
  • Jewellery and body adornment
  • Ceramics.

Skills:

This course will allow students to demonstrate the ability to:

  • develop their ideas through investigations informed by selecting and critically analysing sources
  • apply an understanding of relevant practices in the creative and cultural industries to their work
  • refine their ideas as work progresses through experimenting with media, materials, techniques and processes, record their ideas, observations, insights and independent judgements, visually and through written annotation, using appropriate specialist vocabulary, as work progresses
  • use visual language critically as appropriate to their own creative intentions and chosen area(s) of study through effective and safe use of: media, materials, techniques, processes and technologies
  • use drawing skills for different needs and purposes, appropriate to the context, for example, using drawing as part of the development process within each chosen area of study to realise personal intentions through the sustained application of the creative process.

Students must use drawing to support the development process within each chosen area of study.

What are the benefits of studying this course now and for the future?

  • The course is designed to provide engaging, challenging, coherent and meaningful learning experiences through a flexible structure that supports the development of creative practice.
  • You will gain a broad experience, develop imagination and technical skills, whilst fostering creativity and promoting personal and social development.
  • Students will develop as effective and independent learners, and as critical and reflective thinkers with enquiring minds.
  • Developing creative and imaginative capabilities when exploring and making images, artefacts and products 
  • Become confident in taking risks and learn from experience when exploring and experimenting with ideas, processes, media, materials and techniques

Knowledge organisers / vocabulary list


Unit top sheets and assessment sheets can be found on the students’ Google Classroom. A master list of vocabulary for the course can be found here.

Career pathways

This course sets up students to be independent learners who can think critically and creatively solve problems. These are sought after by all employers in the modern world, however the course may be exceptionally suited to the following design-based careers:

  • architectural design
  • sculpture
  • ceramics
  • product design
  • jewellery and body adornment
  • interior design
  • environmental/landscape/garden design
  • exhibition design
  • 3D digital design
  • designs for theatre, film and television.

Useful Links and resourcing


YouTube has a wealth of useful information;  including step-by-step tutorials of how to make a variety of items, episodes of design-related TV shows such as Abstract, and inspirational Ted Talks. These can be used to support the assessment objectives.

Online blogs/magazines such as WIRED, Dezeen, Core77, and Yanko Design could be used to inspire the students.

Support for students and parents


There will always be support for students and parents from the class teacher. Please do reach out if there’s any concerns (no matter how small) and we can work together to make sure the student is best set to succeed.