Click here to access the Design Engineering Learning Journey for Year 7 – 13

YearTerm 1Term 2Term 3
Year 7
(9/10 week rotation)
Slotable Project:
- Students produce a slotable model using plywood. They learn how to use a range of tools, coping saw, vice, hand files, and understand the health and safety that goes along side working in a workshop. They complete a range of design ideas which are annotated. They use self and peer assessment to help evaluate their work. They learn to understand a manufacturing process, Q/C and Q/A. They also learn how to produce a working prototype of their design before completing their work in wood.
Year 8
(9/10 week rotation)
Gumball Machine:
- Students produce a working gumball machine using various materials such as woods, metals and plastics. Workshop skills include using a variety of equipment including CAD/CAM with vinyl cutters, pillar drills, sanding disc, hand files, coping saws, tenon saws and a variety of decorative techniques.
Year 9
(2 x 9 week rotations)
First 9 weeks - Rotation 1: Clock Project
- Students produce a clock using wood, plastic and recycled materials.
- They produce a folder of work to include research, designing, graphic rendering, health & safety and evaluation.
- The project draws on previous knowledge of tools and equipment and is then extended and built upon.

Second 9 weeks - Rotation 2: Pizza Cutter
- Students produce a pizza cutter handle which focuses on anthropometrics and ergonomics. This is a higher level project which links into KS4. Students learn how to apply graphic rendering to their design ideas using a variety of methods which show different textures of materials.
- They produce a 3D card prototype and a Styrofoam model before starting their handle in wood.
- They learn how to produce a Gantt chart and understand what a Pugh matrix is.
Work is completed in the workshop using a range of tools including chisels. A blade is then fitted to complete the pizza cutter.
Year 10OCR Cambridge Nationals - Engineering: Design:
Skill building through a series of Mini Projects which includes a variety of practical knowledge & design techniques.

R039 - Communicating Design - equating to 30% of overall qualification.
- Learners generate design ideas through a mixture of detailed hand rendering and computer-based presentation techniques including 2D and 3D computer-aided design.
Year 11R040 - Design, evaluation and modelling, equating to 30% of the final grade.
- Learners apply practical skills to produce a prototype model, evaluating the prototype, comparing the outcome against the specification, suggesting potential improvements to the final product.

R038 - a one hour written paper, equating to 40% of the final grade.
- Learners will demonstrate their understanding of the overall design process through study of the design cycle, requirements of a design specification to develop a new product and understanding of the wider influences on the design on new products.