Design & Technology
At Rainhill High School, Design and Technology develops creativity, problem-solving and practical confidence through a carefully sequenced curriculum across Key Stage 3. Pupils learn to design, make and evaluate high-quality prototypes for specific users, building a strong understanding of materials, systems, processes and emerging technologies.
From Year 7 to Year 9, pupils progress from foundational workshop and textiles skills to increasingly complex, user-centred design challenges. They develop precision in practical manufacture, confidence in CAD/CAM technologies, and a deeper understanding of sustainability, commercial production and the impact of design on everyday life.
Throughout the curriculum, pupils research influential designers and movements, refine ideas through iteration and prototyping, and evaluate their work analytically using subject-specific vocabulary. By Year 9, pupils demonstrate independence, technical accuracy and commercial awareness, preparing them for GCSE study and the demands of an increasingly technological world.
Year 7
What Pupils Will Learn
In Year 7, pupils are introduced to Design and Technology as a subject that develops problem-solving, creativity and practical confidence. Pupils learn how to design, make and evaluate products safely and effectively while building foundational knowledge of materials, components, systems and processes. The curriculum meets the National Curriculum for Design and Technology, ensuring pupils develop creative, technical and practical expertise and understand how technology impacts everyday life.
Year 7 Textiles
Half Term Project – Designing for a Target User (Ages 8–12)
In Textiles, pupils develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to design and make high-quality textile products for a specific user group. The focus is on designing for children aged 8–12, encouraging pupils to think carefully about audience, functionand aesthetics.
Pupils begin by learning how to work safely in a textiles room. They identify potential hazards and understand how to use tools and equipment responsibly to keep themselves and others safe. Health and safety knowledge is embedded throughout the project.
Students build and apply a repertoire of knowledge and skills to design and make a personal textile outcome. They explore fabrics, fibres, shape, silhouette, colour and decorative techniques. Pupils investigate the work of contemporary designer Mica Harissa, focusing on her use of biomimicry and embroidery techniques. This contextual research inspires pupils’ own design ideas and helps them understand how designers draw inspiration from nature and culture.
Throughout the project, pupils develop core technical skills in hand sewing and embroidery, selecting and using specialist tools and techniques with increasing precision. They experiment with fabrics and components, refining ideas through investigation and testing.
Evaluation is an important part of the design process. Pupils critique and test their ideas and finished products, considering how effectively they meet the needs of their target audience. They use subject-specific vocabulary to evaluate their own work and that of others and make informed improvements.
The project forms part of the wider mastery curriculum, enabling pupils to apply knowledge through design development, experiment with materials and processes, and create a personal textile outcome that responds to a given stimulus.
Year 7 Product Design
USB-Powered Lamp Project
In Product Design, pupils are introduced to solving problems through practical skills. The aim of the Year 7 curriculum is to build foundation knowledge of materials, components, systems and processes so that pupils can create functioning prototypes. As pupils progress through Key Stage 3, they tackle increasingly complex design challenges.
In this project, pupils design and manufacture a USB-powered lamp. This allows them to work with both compliant and resistant materials and to develop a range of practical workshop skills. Pupils learn about materials such as pine, fir, spruce, polymers and electronic components, and understand why different materials are suitable for specific applications.
Students explore how electricity is generated and compare different energy sources, considering their advantages and disadvantages. They learn how electrical circuits work and the role of components such as switches, LEDs and resistors in creating a functioning product. This helps pupils understand how electricity is used in everyday life and how energy consumption affects the wider environment.
Pupils research designers, cultures and technologies to inform their ideas. They sketch initial concepts, develop a design brief and create a specification based on independent research. Prototyping and model making are introduced as essential stages in the design process before final manufacture.
Through practical manufacture, pupils produce a fully working USB lamp that is movable and made using sustainable materials. The project develops precision, accuracy and safe working practices within the workshop environment.
As part of the wider mastery curriculum, pupils demonstrate the application of knowledge through design development, experiment with materials and components, and produce a personal final outcome that responds to a clear design brief.
Year 8
What Pupils Will Learn
In Year 8, pupils build on their foundational skills by developing a more analytical, user-centred approach to design. Projects focus on market research, iterative design, sustainability and the use of industry-standard tools and software. Pupils refine practical skills while deepening their understanding of materials, systems and manufacturing processes. The curriculum meets the National Curriculum for Design and Technology, ensuring pupils develop creative, technical and practical expertise and can design and make high-quality prototypes for specific users.
Year 8 Product Design
Acrylic Clock Project
In this project, pupils design and manufacture a contemporary acrylic clock for a large retail store. The focus is on understanding client needs, market demand and mass production. Pupils adopt a user-centred design approach, considering how products are manufactured on a large scale and sold globally.
Students begin by analysing a company brief, identifying the needs and wants of the business and its target market. They explore the iterative design process, refining ideas through sketching, modelling and testing. Research into the Bauhaus and Memphis Group design movements supports pupils in understanding how colour, shape and form influence product design. Pupils identify the key characteristics of these movements and apply them to their own contemporary clock designs.
Students work with laser ply and polymers, learning about material properties, heating and moulding processes and the importance of structural integrity. They are introduced to industry-standard CAD/CAM technologies, including 2D TechSoft and Adobe Illustrator, to design and programme their clocks for laser cutting. Pupils understand how robots (laser cutters) manufacture products accurately and efficiently for mass production.
Prototyping is a key part of the project. Pupils test and refine their designs, understanding the importance of evaluation and modification. They produce a functioning quartz movement clock as a final outcome, demonstrating precision, creativity and understanding of manufacturing processes.
Assessment includes a verbal presentation explaining how the final product meets the client’s needs and a written evaluation analysing design decisions, manufacturing techniques and influences from key design movements. Pupils demonstrate an analytical approach to reviewing their work and identifying improvements.
Year 8 Textiles
Character Design and Sustainable Textiles
In Textiles, pupils continue developing creative and technical skills through a project focused on designing for a target audience aged 10–14. They explore how textiles products can be designed to meet the needs of specific users while considering sustainability and environmental impact.
Students research contemporary designers and illustrators including Sun-Min Kim and David Horvath, alongside references such as the Ugly Dolls film. Pupils analyse how culture, character design and branding influence textile products aimed at young people.
Practical work focuses on developing both hand-stitch and machine-stitch techniques. Pupils select from a wider and more complex range of fabrics and materials, investigating their properties and suitability for purpose. They learn how structural elements and fabric choices affect function and durability.
Sustainability is embedded throughout the project. Pupils explore the environmental impact of the textiles industry and consider how responsible material choices support the health of the planet. They test, evaluate and refine their ideas against a clear specification, incorporating feedback from peers and considering the needs of their intended users.
As part of the mastery curriculum, pupils demonstrate application of knowledge through design development, experimentation with fabrics and components, and creation of a personal textile outcome relevant to the project stimulus.
Year 9
What Pupils Will Learn
In Year 9, pupils consolidate and extend the creative, technical and practical skills developed in Years 7 and 8. They work with greater independence and precision, applying a user-centred design approach to increasingly complex problems. Pupils deepen their understanding of materials, smart technologies and computer-aided manufacture, preparing them for the demands of GCSE study and an increasingly technological world.
The curriculum meets the National Curriculum for Design and Technology, ensuring pupils design and make high-quality prototypes for specific users, select and use specialist tools safely, evaluate and refine their work, and understand the impact of new and emerging technologies.
Acrylic Mobile Phone Holder Project
Designing for Teenagers (Ages 12–14) In this project, pupils design and manufacture an acrylic mobile phone holder inspired by contemporary design movements and intended for global mass production. The project focuses on creating a commercially viable product suitable for teenagers aged 12–14.
Pupils begin by identifying a clear target user and analysing their needs. They produce a written design brief and specification informed by independent research and market analysis. Students explore the influence of contemporary design brands such as Alessi and Vitra, alongside research into the Memphis Group. They study the origins and characteristics of Memphis design, including bold geometric forms and contrasting colours, and apply these ideas appropriately while balancing creativity with function and commercial appeal.
Design Development and Iteration
Students generate a wide range of initial ideas and refine selected concepts through sketching, modelling and prototyping. Card or laser ply prototypes are produced to test stability, proportion and usability. Pupils critically evaluate strengths and weaknesses and record improvements through iterative development. Testing and refinement are central to the process, ensuring designs are fit for purpose and suitable for manufacture.
CAD/CAM and Digital Manufacture
A key focus of the project is the use of industry-standard CAD/CAM technologies. Pupils create accurate 2D drawings using TechSoft or Adobe Illustrator and prepare files correctly for laser cutting. They learn how to use correct line weights, colour coding and efficient material layout for batch production.
During manufacture, pupils cut 3–5mm acrylic using a laser cutter and apply controlled heat forming using a line bender. They ensure dimensional accuracy within ±1mm of their CAD design and achieve clean, professional finishes. Pupils understand how computer-aided manufacture enables precision and scalability for global production.
Materials, Smart Technologies and Emerging Design
Students explore material properties, focusing on acrylic (PMMA) and its suitability for functional products. They investigate new and emerging technologies, including smart materials and systems that can enhance product performance. Sustainability and responsible material use are considered within the wider context of global manufacture.
Pupils also explore cultural and contemporary influences, including the work of Brianna McCarthy and the Trinidad and Tobago festival, encouraging connections between design, culture and identity.
Health and Safety and Professional Practice
Safe workshop practice is embedded throughout the project. Pupils wear appropriate personal protective equipment, follow laser cutter operating procedures and use heat-forming equipment safely. They maintain organised workspaces and dispose of materials responsibly. Professional standards of finish and safety are expected in all final outcomes.
Evaluation and Presentation
Evaluation is analytical and rigorous. Pupils deliver a verbal presentation explaining how their product meets the needs of the client and target user. They produce a critical written evaluation that identifies successful design features, areas for improvement and the suitability of manufacturing processes for mass production. Peer review further develops evaluative thinking and commercial awareness.
Final products must be dimensionally accurate, structurally stable, free from sharp edges or stress marks, and suitable for retail display. Pupils understand how design decisions influence both aesthetics and functionality.
Mrs J Thorogood – Principal
Rainhill High School, Warrington Road, Rainhill, Merseyside, L356NY
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