Design and Technology can still grow!

Design and Technology can still grow!

Design & Technology has faced challenges in recent times and the importance of handling the GCSE reforms and promoting the popularity of the subject is crucial for the future success of the subject. As a Head of Department, former moderator and Senior Leader in a secondary school, I have seen many D&T departments struggle and slowly shrink in size, due to a number of local, national and political factors. The following points are the main challenges I have faced and some of the strategies we implemented to continue to develop D&T into one of the highest profile and most popular subjects in our school.

Selling Design & Technology and promoting its importance to all stakeholders: D&T is misunderstood by so many and there is a need of a ‘re-brand’. Ensuring that senior leaders, parents and students are informed of what a modern Design & Technology curriculum is, and more importantly, what it is not.

• Start early – new intake/open evening gives new students and parents their first opportunity to experience D&T. At my school we laser cut key rings, have ‘D&T ambassadors’ demonstrating 3D printing, have a production line activity to assemble vinyl cut book markers, make healthy pizza toast, make textile based circuits using conductive thread. All potential New Year 7s take all this away in little D&T branded paper bags with a leaflet produced by DATA on ‘What is Design and Technology’. We also show examples of KS3/4/5 work to all stakeholders to show what we offer. Not a bird box in sight!
• Show the link between Design & Technology and industry – D&T links to more careers than any other subject taught in schools. Shout it loud; shout it proud! Especially when it comes to promoting your subject for Year 9 options. Useful resources to educate all stakeholders include the following booklet, magazine and video.
  
• Have links with industry – we enter students for Arkwright Engineering scholarships, promote Jaguar Land Rover apprenticeships and have a direct link with a local automotive engineering company who take on some of our students as apprentices. This has been invaluable in promoting and securing healthy options numbers by reinforcing the opportunities studying D&T brings.
• Make sure the department has the ‘wow factor’ – as a former moderator, I visited many D&T departments that were grey and drab and this often matched the work produced. I believe that ensuring all your rooms have inspiring displays and a welcoming learning environment is vital. Examples of nice resources can be found online.
• Share your success – actively promote good work, visits, competitions and more on the school website, school magazine, school reception displays, school social media and local press. We also invite in former students who have continued to study D&T or gained Arkwright Scholarships to come back talk to current students.
• Blow them away with technology – get student from Year 7 onwards using Laser cutters, dye sublimation printers, CNC milling machines, 3D printers or any other CAD/CAM you may have access to. Make sure the school website is up to date and clearly explains what you teach and if possible, has pictures that celebrate some of the best work.

Embracing the new reforms: whether you like it or not, the new GCSE and vocational Level 1/2 awards are here to stay. These have been written to take into account the needs of industry by modernising the subject so it has a clearer link to engineering. The planning and changes to what we teach and all key stages have pushed many outside their comfort zones. The need for proactive, collaborative and effective planning is vital.

• Embrace social media teacher groups – I am a member of the ‘Design and Technology Teachers Forum’ and ‘Design and Technology Teachers’ Facebook groups. This allows me to see what other teachers are doing, gain inspiration and share resources.
• Go to OCR teacher meets – they have been invaluable in my own CPD as I have been able discuss, share and swap advice, resources and ask questions to OCR and other teachers. It has also reassured me in what I am delivering.
• Audit what you deliver at KS3 and how this feeds into the new KS4 reforms – aim to start your GCSE from Year 7. Build and master the key skills and knowledge students need throughout their school career in D&T. For example: Applied Maths. Useful resources are available online.
• We now have more choice – we may only have a single ‘D&T’ GCSE now, but there are many Level 1/2 vocational qualifications, which are offer fantastic opportunities for schools. Find the qualifications that best meet the needs of the students.

Integrating the expertise you have in your department: invest in CPD to help support the gaps in staff knowledge to enable teachers to deliver the new reforms confidently. We are no longer Textiles, Graphics, Product Design, Systems and Control, etc. specialists - We are Design and Technology specialists and need to think that way.

• Attend relevant CPD – identify what CPD you need and proactively find the course that meets your needs.
• Share expertise – team teaching, team planning sessions and meeting regularly to review progress. This will support and upskill those staff with gaps in their knowledge and empower them.
• You can still teach your specialism in as a focus area with the new GCSE – by having the ability to choose focus material to study for the NEA, textile teachers for example, can still deliver textiles, or ‘Fashion & Textiles’ as we have now re-branded it as a GCSE.
• Actively Recruit – see social media, teacher meetings, CPD courses, etc as opportunities for recruitment. Many of the teachers we have appointed at our school were trainees. So aim to offer a D&T placement with your affiliated ITT providers. This is particularly important now D&T is now the biggest shortage subject nationally.

About the author

Giles Smith - Assistant Headteacher and Head of Design and Technology

Giles has been Head of Design and Technology for seven years. A former moderator for AQA, he is also an Assistant Headteacher at Crestwood School (part of Invictus Education Trust).