Quality British Education in Saudi Arabia
Design Technology
Design Technology is taught as a specialist subject to all children in Key Stages 2, 3 and 4. The lessons take place in the Design Technology workshops which include the general workshop, a sanding and cutting room, a painting room, a design lab in which are the computers on which the children can carry out research on the internet and can use the ProDESKTOP CAD programme to help with their constructional drawings and design work. These machines are linked to a Modela 3D CNC Milling Machine, which is in a room alongside the design room. This room also houses the vacuum former and strip heater for use when plastics are a part of the curriculum.
Projects undertaken by each age group:-
Key Stage 2
Year 3
Structures - making bridges - Designing and making a photo frame - Making a wind vane
Year 4
Making a model of an Egyptian Shaduf - Using Economatics kits to looking at electrical circuits and then using this information to overcome electrical problems the groups have been set.
Year 5
Using Technical Lego to make a variety of models that help us to understand how different types of cogs and gears are used to help overcome different mechanical problems.
Year 6
To design and make an electrically operated vehicle. The project involves the designing and making of a chassis to support the wheels and motor, the body of the vehicle and a wooden control box to house the batteries and the two way switch.
Key Stage 3
Year 7
Make a model Ballista with a brief of :- ‘Who can fire a stone the furthest”
All the models are made to a standard design but the students have to design and make a firing mechanism for their model. They are allowed to make improvements to the basic model with the hope of improving the distance the stone can be fired.
Year 8
To design and make a clock
To design and make a ‘pop up greetings card’
Year 9
The design brief for year 9 is :- ‘To try to form your own company that will make a million riyals profit’
No one has achieved this brief as yet.
The students must divide into groups ranging from a minimum of 3 to a maximum of 6. Each group forms a manufacturing company and allocates the various managerial jobs to each of the students in that group. Each group must endeavour to design make and sell, to the public, items that they hope will make a profit. At the end of the project any profit is divided up between those in that company. The amount each person receives is determined by the hours they have worked. They are allowed to keep this money.
