Wealden Times | WT187 | September 2017 | Education supplement inside

WT Education Supplement
Design
Team
WT chats to Downsend Prep, Cranleigh School and St Edmund’s School
Canterbury about current school projects and the technological advances
that are affecting the way Design & Technology is taught in the classroom
Beth Day, Head of Design & Technology,
Downsend Prep School, Surrey
What projects have you been
working on recently with pupils?
Through our well-equipped workshop,
textiles studio and food technology
room Downsend children acquire
basic design skills and knowledge
across all three areas. Working with
a full mix of materials, food, CAD
and our laser cutter, the children
are involved in a range of projects
including moving monsters, lunar
buggies, woven fish, bird hides, fabric
postcards, an acrylic clock, a microbit
game, and a teenage bedroom design.
How do you encourage pupils to
find inspiration for their creations?
Inspiration can be drawn from
personal experiences such as
favourite holiday memories for
hand embroidered postcards in
Year 4, to favourite book characters
that inspire a marionette puppet
in Year 6. Exploring the traditions
of different cultures broadens
our pupils’ historical knowledge
and is a great source of design
inspiration e.g. Native American
tipis and dreamcatchers.
Do boys and girls get
equally as involved?
Yes they do because we specifically
develop projects to generate their
interest and enthusiasm regardless of
gender. Increasingly, we incorporate
elements of CAD as results are
instantly visible and accurate. By
combining a full range of ‘compliant
and resistant materials’ in our projects,
all the interests of the children are
captured, they are excited to be
involved and find new talents.
What skills do you feel that Design
& Technology helps to develop?
Design and Technology develops
practical and creative skills and builds
resilience and perseverance. Projects
raise awareness of the properties of a
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