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Resistant Materials
Members of Staff and Roles/Responsibilities
| Mr M Gordon | Subject leader |
Subject Overview
Resistant Materials is about designing and making using a range of materials: mainly Wood, Metal and Plastics. It offers many opportunities to be creative and requires students to develop problem solving skills and to develop their spatial awareness skills through practical work. Students will gain skills, knowledge and understanding about materials, processes, tools, machinery and equipment as well as industrial production and related environmental issues.
KS3 Structure
During year 7 students begin with a 2 focussed projects that allow us to quickly discover prior knowledge and assess their work in the form of a National Curriculum level. Throughout KS 3 tasks and modules of work are designed and delivered to develop skills, knowledge and understanding of what can be done with wood, metal and plastics.
Near the end of the key stage, year 9 students work on a transition project which is designed to help them toward their GCSE work.
KS3 Content
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Yr 7: Students research for and then design a product in response to the design brief of the Transition Project (a gift product on the theme of ‘eggs’) .
Early practical projects such as; making key fobs; small picture frames, a maze game and earrings are all used as ‘skill builders’ –tasks that quickly build experience of working with wood, metal and plastic; with hand tools and machinery.
Alongside this work, theory work is written and drawn on diverse topics such as material properties, ways of joining and the use of computers in designing and design and make processes.
A later practical project, the ‘Pocket or Handbag Mirror’ revisits some skills and develops them resulting in greater accuracy and quality, as well as learning about some manufacturing processes. The additional task of designing and making a charm for the mirror further advances metalwork/jewellery skills.
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Yr 8: Students explore possibilities on a theme of ‘Mini-Storage-Units’. Students next engage in an extended project to design and make an innovative small storage unit. , for a client. This uses and enhances skills with a range of materials, tools, equipment and machinery. Again, as with year 7, a range of theory work related to designing and making with resistant materials is undertaken.
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Yr 9: Students begin creating sample pieces of metals to explore and extend skills, making one or more items of jewellery to a ‘gallery’ standard. Later, they are given a realistic ‘industry style’ brief to, through group work, produce a wooden pull or push-along toy. Focussed tasks on accuracy, generating ideas and evaluation are also undertaken and then they have their final module of work. For this, they need to research and identify a ‘need’ then design and make a product, developing skills learnt earlier, to saleable quality that is suitable for its target market.
KS4 Option
This subject offers an exciting and unique working environment and experience. The workshop is extremely well resourced with a wide range of tools, equipment and machinery.
The GCSE work is flexible enough for all interested students because of it’s ‘theory, graphical, practical’ mix. For example any student concerned that they are not strong in their graphical work may excel in practical skills; a student with exam fears can take heart in the emphasis on coursework and so on.
Who is it for?
This course will suit those with a vivid imagination who can be creative in both areas of graphic design and three dimensional practical work. The design folio part of the coursework will be unique and reflect your personality and the design features that are special to your client’s needs.
What will I study?
GCSE – Resistant Materials AQA - full course.
You will learn:
- about design influences, its impact on our lives and the environment - contemporary, historical and cultural influences.
- the processes that craftspeople and industry use.
- the design process, from a design brief through research and development to planning, making and evaluating.
- a broad range of graphical techniques and the application of ICT skills.
- about a range of materials, their properties and their uses.
- how materials are shaped, manipulated, joined, decorated and finished.
- how to use a range of hand tools, power tools and machinery safely and accurately.
- how to successfully complete skilled processes such as fabrication, surface finishing, scroll-sawing, enamelling, wire-work and silver soldering, brazing, enamelling and much more.
How will I study?
During their GCSE course students will have many opportunities to design and make products, working with wood, metal and plastics. We are developing an ever increasing commitment to Jewellery Making. However students will have the opportunity to design and make a wide range of outcomes. There will be a final design-and-make assignment to be submitted for their GCSE coursework.
What exams are there?
Coursework is 60%, 40% final examination paper.
Coursework involves producing a design folio and one or more made products.
Career Information
This course can lead to courses and careers in design and manufacturing. The potential is enormous; product design and development, architecture, artisan/craftwork, furniture designing or making, building trade related work, stage sets, exhibition work, jewellery making etc.
