The Technologies faculty comprises of Design Technology, Food Technology, Computing and Computer Science.
The Technologies Faculty
“When you talk, don't say any bad things. But say things that people need, things that will help other people become stronger. Then the things you say will help the people who listen to you.” - Ephesians 4:29
Our Vision and Intent
The future is technology. It is no well-kept secret that countless jobs will cease to exist at one point or another due the emerging and ever-growing use of technology in the work place. You only need to walk into a fast food restaurant or a retail store to find that there are fewer and fewer staff and more and more interactive screens in their place to serve you.
The Computing department at Brownedge St Mary’s wants to prepare our learners for this. We aim to prepare our learners for the world that doesn’t exist yet, a world involving technologies that have yet to be invented, and a world that presents technical and ethical challenges of which we are not yet aware.
By delivering three core pillars within Computing: Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy, learners develop into effective authors of computer programs, competent creators of computational tools, as well as thoughtful and appreciative users of computers.
Problem solving, logic, maths, computational theory, practical programming, and social, moral and ethical issues, among many others, are all part of an exciting and varied Computer Science curriculum. In delivering this education we aim to teach learners a variety of transferable skills that will empower them and open excellent Computer Science career opportunities for them beyond their school years.
Web design, digital image development, digital audio development, and computer game development to name a few all exist under our delivery of Information Technology. In delivering this education we aim to teach learners the skills required for the contemporary information technology workplace.
It must be conceded Computer Science and Information Technology is not for everyone; and it is for this reason we promote digital literacy with all learners throughout all of our schemes of work at both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. All jobs now and in the future require competence with technology. Whether our learners aspire to be entrepreneurs, programmers, hair dressers, or athletes, digital literacy remains an ever-growing requirement for all career choices.
Computing is a practical subject, where invention and resourcefulness are encouraged. Pupils are expected to apply the academic principles they have learned to the understanding of real-world systems, and the creation of purposeful solutions. The combination of principles, practice, and invention makes it an intensely creative subject full of excitement, both visceral (“it works!”) and intellectual (“that’s incredible”).
Our delivery of Computing education will mainly consist of academic Computer Science theory and practical computer programming, which is supported by an aspirational curriculum, fully differentiated lessons and resources, and routine, rigorous assessments.
We ultimately aim to inspire curiosity in all aspects of Computing and develop learners’ ability to think ‘computationally’ in order empower them to reach their potential. But also we: -
- Meet each learner at each of their individual starting points, with knowledge and understanding of their journey through key stage 2, and build upon their existing knowledge of Computing.
- Fully differentiate lessons and resources in order to make all learning as accessible as possible for all learners.
- Support the development of the key stage 2 Computing curriculum in our feeder school(s) to create as smooth a transition phase as possible for learners entering year 7.
- Deliver lessons that are contemporary, relevant, and relatable to young minds.
- Strengthen learners’ resilience to learning new languages and their respective ‘syntax’ rules by delivery comprehensive programming schemes of work.
- Offer GCSE Computer Science and key stage 4 but also a vocational alternative to ensure appropriate pathways and maximum progress for all learners.
- Prepare students for exam as much as possible by providing exam practice with practical feedback, and give advice for how best to cope with the stresses of exam time.
- Continue to attach ‘big questions’ that explore philosophical and ethical issues which effect all people to each topic across all key stages in order to continue to stretch and challenge learners but also to encourage deeper thinking and to ultimately augment the retention of learning.
- Incorporate the Catholic faith into learning.
- Encourage learners to be courageous in contributing to lessons and learning in keeping with the school’s high standards and gospel values.
- Urge learners to be hopeful and aspirational when addressing targets and grades in keeping with the school’s high standards and gospel values.
- Remain just and fair as educators and encourage learners to be equally as just when interacting with one another in keeping with the school’s high standards and gospel values.
- Continue to be kind and patient as carers of young people and encourage learners to be equally as kind and patient with one another in keeping with the school’s high standards and gospel values.
- Utilise home learning as well as class learning to inform our targeted support of learners who have misconceptions.
- Support the improvement of literacy and numeracy by assigning tasks reliant on both.
- Encourage and contribute towards learner development across all STEM subjects by tasks reliant on scientific, mathematical, and technological knowledge.
- Strive to increase female subscription to the subject as the Computer Science classroom and workplace is predominantly male.
- Prepare learners for the world of work in ensuring all learners are ‘digitally literate’ in as many ways as possible. For example, ensuring that learners are competent in using Microsoft Office, web design software, graphic development software, and also increase competence in using a variety of different hardware and devices.
- ‘Interleave’ between years and key stages as well as just in between topics to augment learning retention as much as possible.
Computing Curriculum Plans
Literacy (including subject vital vocab)
“Technology should always be at the service of humanity and respectful of every human person's dignity” –Pope Francis
Our Vision and Intent
The Technology Faculty has a welcoming environment in which we encourage all pupils to show love and respect for each other. We seek to develop children and young people’s practical designing and making ability, contributing their own unique gifts and talents to the creativity of solving real and relevant problems, striving for excellence in all we do.
Technology has strong cross-curricular links with Science, Maths, Computing, Engineering, Geography, History and Art. The curriculum is designed to encourage pupils to think of the big picture in terms of developing knowledge and understanding of the natural resources of our planet, to consider the impact of the environmental, cultural, industrial and society usage of those resources and how, as individuals, as communities and as global citizens we have an obligation to take responsibility for extraction, usage and end-of-life disposal of those resources in a sustainable manner. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, pupils can develop a critical understanding of its impact and the wider world. This knowledge and understanding is at the heart of the subject and is interwoven throughout all key stages which makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture wealth and well-being of the nation.
Design Technology Intent
During Key Stage 3, it is our intent to build upon students’ prior knowledge, no matter what starting point. Pupils are introduced to exploring all materials, their sources, properties and uses in an engaging and both theoretical and practical manner. They learn about mechanisms, movement, forces, structures, biomimicry and sustainability. During each learning topic is a focused practical task in which pupils apply their learning to any of the researching, designing, making and evaluating of a product. Encouragement of independent learning is practiced throughout. They build upon their technical vocabulary, their knowledge and practical skills to design and make high quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users.
During Key Stage 4 in Design Technology, we build upon prior knowledge and expand into greater detail of new and emerging technologies, systems and electronics, materials and key ideas in design technology. Topics are devised in order to encourage pupils to consider love, service and justice in the global community through learning about the impacts of industry in the 21st Century on society, cultures and the environment, such as the work of Fairtrade, for example. All the while we are developing pupils’ creative, technical and practical expertise so they can become confident and participative members of an increasingly technological world.
Extra-curricular opportunities give pupils chance to experience competition and real life industrial situations. It is a journey of discovery and one in which the department celebrates and reflects on the love of God, using the whole school points system to reward pupils for their many ways in which they can demonstrate their gospel values, which after all is at the heart of all we are.
Food Technology Intent
It is our intent to provide students with vital life skills that will enable them to feed themselves and others affordably and nutritiously, now and later in life. Encourage the development of high skills and resilience in safe environment, allowing students to demonstrate commitment and act on feedback. Empower students to enable them to follow a recipe and substitute ingredients and cooking methods as appropriate, demonstrating an understanding of food choices e.g. veganism, allergies and healthy eating. Develop an understanding that will allow students to become discriminating consumers of food products, enabling them to participate in society in an active and informed manner. Engage with students to encourage them to understand the environmental factors which affect the inequalities in food distribution on a global scale and give them an understanding of the need to minimise ‘food waste’ starting with their own practise. Allow students to explore a number of multicultural perspectives concerning food. Students will enhance their understanding, appreciation and acceptance of people from a variety of cultural backgrounds through the preparation of food from different countries. Encourage our students to develop an awareness and acceptance of diversity within our community. Our hope is that through Food Technology, students are provided with a context through which to explore the richness, pleasure and variety that food adds to life.
At Key Stage 3 students study Food once a week for 18 weeks; they then move to DT and complete the remainder of the year. The National Curriculum for Design Technology Key stage 3 aims to ensure that all pupils:
- understand and apply the principles of nutrition and health
- cook a repertoire of predominantly savoury dishes so that they are able to feed themselves and others a healthy and varied diet
- become competent in a range of cooking techniques [for example, selecting and preparing ingredients; using utensils and electrical equipment; applying heat in different ways; using awareness of taste, texture and smell to decide how to season dishes and combine ingredients; adapting and using their own recipes]
- understand the source, seasonality and characteristics of a broad range of ingredients.
At Key Stage 4 students can continue their studies in Food by opting to study WJEC Level 1/2 Hospitality and Catering. According to the British Hospitality Association, hospitality and catering is Britain’s fourth largest industry and accounts for around 10% of the total workforce. Since 2010, over 25% of all new jobs have been within the hospitality and catering sector with the majority of new roles falling within the 18-24 age groups, according to a report by People 1st. The WJEC Vocational Award in Hospitality and Catering has been designed to support learners in schools and colleges who want to learn about this vocational sector and by studying the course it can prepare them for further study post 16. Employment in hospitality and catering can range from waiting staff, receptionists and catering assistants to chefs, hotel and bar managers and food technologists working for supermarket chains.
Extra-curricular opportunities reflect the curriculum intent and offer solutions to cooking on a budget and supporting Key Stage 4 students to develop higher order practical skills.
Literacy (including subject vital vocab)
Being able to use key design and technology terminology is essential. This includes terminology related to: designing, innovation and communication; materials and technologies; making, manufacture and production and critiquing, values and ethics. This enables pupils to use their articulacy in exploring and developing their design decision making skills, communicate clearly their ideas and develop skills to critique and refine their ideas whilst designing and making.
Click here for our Subject Vital Vocab
Revision/supporting materials and Learning Wall
The Ultimate Design and Technology GCSE Revision Guide!
Daydream Education’s new Design and Technology GCSE Pocket Poster app is the perfect revision, classwork and homework aid. The app simplifies key topics into bite-sized chunks of information that will improve students’ understanding and confidence. The Design and Technology application provides students with a new way to learn, work and prepare for tests and exams in many areas of Design and Technology. Study on the bus, in your home or in school without the need to carry your books. You can even listen to your music at the same time.
The link here is for GCSE BBC Bitesize Design Technology website specifically for the Eduqas examination board https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/examspecs/z4nfwty
Careers and progression
Design and Technology offers a unique opportunity in the curriculum for learners to identify and solve real problems by designing and making products or systems. Through studying GCSE Design and Technology, learners will be prepared to participate confidently and successfully in an increasingly technological world; and be aware of, and learn from, wider influences on design and technology, including historical, social/cultural, environmental and economic factors.
Design and making skills and the ability to visualise new ideas can be useful in many job families such as marketing, sales and advertising, arts crafts and design, broadcast media and performing arts, journalism and publishing, construction, as well as engineering and manufacturing.
Applied and job-related learning
There is a range of vocational qualifications (such as BTECs, NVQ/SVQs, and diplomas) linked to an interest in design technology, such as:
- graphic design
- fashion styling
- art and design
- media
- engineering
- photography
- construction and building services
- motor vehicle – technology and repair
Apprenticeships
There is a range of apprenticeships that link to an interest in design technology, including:
- junior product designer
- theatre set carpenter
- farrier (metalworking)
- service technician
- civil engineering technician
- plumber
- design and draughting technician
- engineering model maker
Skills and qualities - from studying design technology
- Technical ability: You may need particular technical skills and specialist knowledge of how things work or need to be designed and built.
- Problem solving: Some jobs particularly require problem solving skills and creative thinking to recognise problems and their causes, to identify a range of possible solutions and then assess and decide the best way forward.
- Organisation: You’ll need to be able to plan and schedule work. This could include being able to prioritise what needs to be done and by when.
- Communication: If your job requires verbal communication, you may need to write or give speeches and presentations. For jobs which require written communication skills, you will need to write clearly and convincingly – you could be producing or dealing with legal documents or writing articles for a newspaper. You may also require good listening skills, the ability to negotiate, or to be persuasive.
- Creativity: You may need specific artistic or design skills for a job, or you may need to draw on a good imagination to come up with creative solutions to business challenges.
- Business management: Some jobs require a good understanding of how businesses work and the management skills to help the business run smoothly and succeed.
- Analytics: You’ll be collecting and examining information in detail to arrive at a solution, to answer a key question or make an informed decision.
- Customer service: Any job which involves contact with customers and the public requires good customer service skills. Whether it’s on the phone or face-to-face it’s important to be able to make customers feel welcome, to be polite and listen.
- Discipline: You need to know and do what is expected of you. This ranges from organising yourself, being on time, to being responsible. Some jobs need particular discipline skills such as being able to persevere with the task and plans until you accomplish them, or following strict procedures.
Below, are links to websites that can help you discover the many different career opportunities in choosing design technology. The information above is taken from the UCAS website.
https://www.ucas.com/job-subjects/design-technology
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/tags/zn7h8xs/jobs-that-use-design-and-technology/1
https://successatschool.org/advicedetails/335/Why-Study-Design-and-Technology%3F
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/subjects/what-can-you-do-degree-design
‘In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ - Acts 20:35
Our Vision and Intent
Our school’s ethos of ‘Let Your Light Shine’ is at the heart of all our assessment, planning and delivery. Making sure that Christ is at the centre of all our decisions, we put the pupils best interests first to ensure that we reach our goal of preparing our students to be tomorrow’s citizens, equipped and able to be successful at anytime, anywhere, any place and to become independent life-long learners. Our key focus for Business Studies is developing enterprising minds; inspiring our students to become enterprising and commercially minded individuals, inspiring students to understand the importance of enterprise and the nature of the business world. Students will leave the classroom enriched with abroad and balanced perspective of business, as well as an inspiration for success and a passion to work hard in the community. Throughout the Business curriculum, students will take a journey that develops their knowledge and skills to evaluate the dynamics of a business. This will lead to an outcome where students enjoy their learning to make outstanding progress by applying the knowledge and skills to the subject as well as events faced in their everyday pathways.
We strive to reduce the attainment gap between groups of students by making effective use of data to inform teaching and learning any by constantly developing our skills as a teaching team. All staff have up-to-date knowledge and understanding of our subject and working as a team helps us to help our students to reach their full potential. We play a key part in developing skills that will prepare students’ workplace skills which in turn will contribute to their economic wellbeing. Our curriculum contextualises learning through the use of real-life situations and problem-solving scenarios. Students develop personal qualities such as the ability to work effectively in teams.
Summary of Our Aims:
- Teaching will provide opportunities to develop confident students with high expectations who can be creative, resilient and be skilled for the globalised workplace.
- Business studies will allow students to develop a wide variety of skills to achieve lifelong learning.
- All our students will experience a curriculum where SMSC is embedded to ensure our ethos is central to our planning
- We will ensure that ALL students are challenged and stretched within the lessons
- Our students will be entrepreneurial, independent learners, confident presenters and strong team players.
- Students will achieve the highest achievement which is our central purpose of teaching and assessment
- We will provide opportunities and feedback for students to improve work and develop their skills.
- Students can go out into the world of work with the attributes necessary to be successful
- students will have the ability to think commercially and creatively to demonstrate business acumen in class activities, presentations and enrichment projects
Our specification is structured into two themes, taking students from how entrepreneurs start businesses (Theme 1) through to growing and global businesses (Theme 2). There are two equally weighted exam papers, focusing on each specification theme. Theme 1 concentrates on the key business concepts, issues and skills involved in starting and running a small business. It provides a framework for students to explore core concepts through the lens of an entrepreneur setting up a business. Theme 2 examines how a business develops beyond the start-up phase. It focuses on the key business concepts, issues and decisions used to grow a business, with an emphasis on aspects of marketing, operations, finance and human resources. It also considers the impact of the wider world on the decisions a business makes as it grows.
Literacy (including subject vital vocab)
Literacy is a key component of Business Studies. To ensure students can access the higher level marks they need to be able to articulate a well justified response to given scenarios. Throughout the GCSE we spend time working on extended writing using structures which help them apply their knowledge to scenarios given ensuring they can provide an in depth response. Word power is vital for success in Business Studies. It is imperative that pupils learn and use subject specific vocabulary. We constantly make use of vital vocabulary, definitions, Literacy walls, question and answer sessions and practicing extended answers to ensure ALL our pupils can aim for those higher level marks.
Click here for our Subject Vital Vocab
Revision/supporting materials and Learning Wall
Students can find out what is happening in the world of business by watching programmes such as: The Apprentice, and Dragons’ Den.
Students can visit the Edexcel website: www.edexcel.com for more information about the GCSE course we study
GCSEPod.com
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/examspecs/z98snbk
Careers and progression
No matter what you do in life you will interact with businesses. Most of you will work for a business and all of you will buy goods and services from businesses. Apart from being a great qualification to have for university and employers, we teach you to be smarter in your dealings with business and making and saving money throughout your life.
Why should I study Business Studies?
Students gaining a qualification in Business Studies will have access to a range of career and further educational opportunities. You will learn and use a variety of skills throughout the course, including collecting, analysing and interpreting data. These skills are in great demand and are recognised and highly valued by employers and colleges.
Which career pathways will Business Studies lead to?
Business Studies will develop your analytical skills, organisation and communication, making you suitable for most career types.
Therefore, career opportunities are vast, Public Sector Administration Marketing, Retailing, Teaching, Accountancy, Human Resources, Law and PR. Business studies is a subject that compliments any other and can be utilised in lots of different ways.