Design Technology
The department has seven workshops a CAD CAM room with CNC 3D Routers, lathes and milling machines a machine room equipped with manual lathes and milling machine, a wide range of welding equipment and a materials laboratory.
The department has extensive range of experience in delivering vocational engineering where many of the staff have engineering backgrounds. Courses range from Level 2 BTEC Engineering to university entrance Level 3 BTEC National Diploma. Many students have gone on to highly successful engineering careers.
Department Staff
| Name | Position |
| Mr W O'Connell | Head of Department |
| Mr D Stothard | 14-19 Vocational Co-ordinator |
| Mr A Badger | Health & Safety Rep |
| Mrs J Braithwaite | Advanced Skills Teacher |
| Mr M Cole | Second in Department |
| Miss J O'Connell | Food Technology |
| Mr D Mogie | Teacher of D&T |
| Ms L Thomson | Teacher of D&T |
| Miss S Thompson | Teacher of D&T |
| Miss K Rose | Food Technology |
| Ms. A Nicol | Teacher of D&T |
| Mr B Gray | Technician/First Aider |
| Mr J McVeigh | Senior Technician |
| Mr D Hill | Technician |
Syllabus
In Engineering you will complete projects which will encourage you to problem solve through design and make tasks.
You will use Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM) to add further quality to your work.
You will be involved in designing and making many projects such as a child's educational toy or a storage system for items such as CDs or jewellery.
You might also use gears, cams, pneumatics or computers to solve control problems. You will find the engineering courses stimulating, challenging and going a long way to prepare you for the world of work.
Equal Opportunities
The Department provides an atmosphere of equal opportunity for all and is successful in creating an environment where all can succeed. Students from different ethnic backgrounds work harmoniously together and mixed gender working groups are actively encouraged.
Although an equal opportunities policy is supported in all aspects by the Department it also recognises the National shortfall of females entering the engineering profession and the gender imbalance in the Department. To this extent we are actively encouraging female students who express an interest in engineering and to support this philosophy three female members of staff have been appointed.
Projects are designed to encourage all students to take part in the learning process and gender/culture issues are deliberately avoided. To reflect the technology status of the Academy and to avoid the stereo-type images of engineering, the accent is being placed on hi-tech rather than heavy engineering. The Department now includes an emphasis on the systems and control approach to the subject and has introduced much more CAD/CAM.
The Department feels that it is successful in providing equal opportunities for all. Both National and internal exams show that female students are consistently more successful than boys. Recruitment of girls onto the vocational courses (KS4 and Post 16).
