A Case for Why Design and Technology is an Essential Life Skill
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Harrow Beijing (HBJ) was founded in 2005. They are a vibrant community affiliated with the renowned Harrow School in London, being established as far back as 1572. Harrow International Schools can be found in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Haikou, and Japan. They proudly share Harrow’s core values of Courage, Honor, Humility, and Fellowship, and celebrate both the school's British heritage and Chinese perspective in striving to cultivate leaders of the future.
Design and Technology at Harrow Beijing
Design and Technology at Harrow Beijing is a compulsory subject from Year 6 through to Year 9. From Year 10 onwards, it is offered as an optional subject where it is delivered through the GCSE and A Level courses.
Harrow Beijing has recently invested heavily in this subject and now has two state-of-the-art Design and Technology rooms, as well as an electronics and textiles room. All rooms are clean, modern, and packed full of the latest tools, machinery, and new technologies, including 3D printers, laser cutters, and CAD software.
Design and Technology encourages students to be open-minded, creative, innovative, and knowledgeable inquirers, thinkers, and good communicators who are reflective about their designs.
Prep Phase – Year 6 - 9
Design and Technology at the Prep stage aims to introduce students to the Design process. This process gives students the framework where they can identify a problem and solve these problems in increasingly sophisticated ways.
A wide range of communication techniques are taught including isometric, perspective, and schematic drawings that will enable students to visualize their products before manufacture.
In the workshop, pupils will be introduced to the making process where they will use a wide range of tools and specialist equipment. It may be the first time that pupils have worked in this environment so they are made aware of safe working practices through staff demonstrations, risk assessments, and control methods.
Students will develop an increased appreciation of the properties of a range of materials, including wood, metals, plastics, textiles, electronics, and cards as well as the best ways to manipulate these materials through CAD CAM, 3D printing, and traditional hand-making skills.
At the end of each project, pupils are taught how to test their finished products for fitness purposes and how to produce realistic modifications to improve their designs.
Senior Phase GCSE – Year 10 and 11
After studying D&T at the Prep stage, pupils will have experienced a wide range of different ways to both Design and Manufacture products, using up-to-date and traditional manufacturing methods.
The GCSE allows the students to specialize in a focus area and extend this knowledge further and produce projects that will stretch their designing and making skills.
In Year 10, Pupils will produce a range of projects in a variety of materials including wood, metal, plastic, electronics, smart materials, and textiles.
In Year 11 pupils spend much of the year completing the Non-Examined part of the course – usually called coursework. This will be a single Design and Make activity that will draw upon the skills and knowledge gained from several years of studying D&T.
Senior Phase 'A' Level - Year 12 and 13
The 'A' Level follows on from the GCSE that is a good grounding for the 'A' Level content. However, the 'A' Level has been designed to encourage pupils to have a broad view and develop their ability to design and make products on a commercial level, show innovation and prepare them for the wide range of Degree and MA courses at University.
Pupils will continue to extend their knowledge, producing a range of projects in a variety of materials.
In Year 13 pupils spend much of the year completing the Non-Examined part of the course. This will be a single Design and Make activity that will draw upon the skills and knowledge gained from several years of studying D&T.
Where will the course lead the students?
Product Design is a versatile course that is run in many UK, US, and European Universities. These courses can lead to a variety of creative and technical careers, some of which include:
Furniture Design
Engineering (Mechanical, Civil, and Structural)
Architecture
Game Design
Computer Aider Design
Automotive Design
Graphic Design
Set Designer and Interior Design
Notable universities that HBJ students have gone on to after studying Design and Technology at Harrow Beijing include:
University of Arts London – Product Design, Architecture, and Interior Design
University of Edinburgh – Product Design
Brunel University – Civil Engineering
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