This case study looks at how systems and control is approached at King Ecgbert School, Dore (near Sheffield). The case study looks at:
- how professional development has contributed to improving work at KS3 and KS
- how the workshop area has been developed into an attractive and stimulating learning environment, with substantial use of CAD/CAM
- the success the school has achieved in encouraging girls to opt for systems and control at GCSE
- the range of projects and activities at KS3 and KS4 and how these are organised.
King Ecgbert School is an 11 - 18 co-educational comprehensive Technology College. Dore is in the outer suburbs of Sheffield and about a third of the school's 1,100 pupils live locally; the others come from inner city Sheffield. About a quarter of the intake are from ethnic minorities. The ability range of the pupils is close to the national average.
Design and technology at KS3 is organised so that pupils stay for the year with one teacher for systems and control, resistant materials and graphics, and with a second teacher for food technology and textiles. The staff agree on a common core all pupils will experience, but add to these extensions of their own (dependent on staff expertise and interests). In addition, to provide breadth of coverage, pupils do short mini-projects with 'specialist' teachers.
King Ecgbert School makes special provision and gives mentor support for autistic pupils and those with Asperger's syndrome.
At KS4 pupils stay with a single teacher, but make use of facilities and staff expertise in a flexible way (for example, using specialist fabrication equipment for products in systems and control).
The school makes widespread use of ICT and many of the support materials for design and technology are available on the D&T departmental section of the school website.
