Cheslyn Hay High School : Year Nine

1. Introduction
2. Systems and Control
3. Year Eight
4. Year Nine
5. Web Links

In Y9 those pupils who continue with systems and control do an extended 35 hour Unit using an 18 pin PICAXE board. The theme of the Unit is mood lighting.

In this Unit pupils are introduced to:

• a wider range of modelling techniques for product design
• proDesktop CAD software
• further electronic components

Throughout this work the pupils are encouraged to consider how systems design and product design interrelate. Location of the LEDs, switches, and access to batteries all need to be considered.

By ‘edge lighting’ the acrylic with the LEDs the effects can be quite dramatic, with light emitting from each place that the acrylic is engraved by the laser machine.

We offer full GCSE courses in Systems and Control, Product Design and Food Technology. Typically 25% of the year group opt for Systems and Control.

The first Unit of work at KS4 is based on them building up a board that they can use to prototype a range of systems during the GCSE. It has an 18 pin PIC, a voltage regulator and a breadboard area for adding different circuits.

It is linked to a pulley system, with the pulleys made from plywood and cut out using the laser cutter.

The most common type of major project is on moving displays. But other innovative ideas have included:

• an automated recorder player
• educational toys
• an automated device to open and close bedroom windows depending on the temperature
• a museum projector display
• a ping-pong ball serving machine
• an automatic crook lock for cars

We offer ‘A’ level product design and, though this does not emphasise systems and control, we encourage pupils to integrate electronics into their designs.

For example, in one Unit the pupils design and make a working stereo radio. The electronics is a pre-designed radio kit combined with a school-designed stereo amplifier and voltage regulator board. The main emphasis is on integrating this with their own design for a case based on the Fibonacci Series and the golden number.