Design and Technology curriculum thrives at Sheffield school as it adapts to Covid-19

When many people think of design and technology familiar phrases such as cookery, woodwork and sewing come to mind – but at King Ecgbert School it is much more than that.
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The school, in Dore, has evolved its curriculum to become a ‘future facing’ subject that addresses many real issues facing the world today.

Lessons such as cookery have been swapped for food and nutrition to help pupils explore different dietary needs and ways to create healthy meals, although work with wood, metal and plastic remains – albeit with the addition of laser cutters, 3D printers and a challenge to solve problems through modelling and testing.

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Design and Technology curriculum adapts at King Ecgbert School. Tilly Hilton and Elijah Toombs, Ayasha Khan and Grace Kirk finalists of the House of 2030 competitionDesign and Technology curriculum adapts at King Ecgbert School. Tilly Hilton and Elijah Toombs, Ayasha Khan and Grace Kirk finalists of the House of 2030 competition
Design and Technology curriculum adapts at King Ecgbert School. Tilly Hilton and Elijah Toombs, Ayasha Khan and Grace Kirk finalists of the House of 2030 competition
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Now, lessons are evolving even further to suit the Covid-19 pandemic and ensure pupils can continue to learn whether at home or in school.

Head of Design and Technology, Helen Vardy, said: “We have successfully delivered the majority of our curriculum during these challenging times and as a team of problem solvers we have created new learning experiences that can be delivered at home and at school.

“We have provided access to browser-based CAD software so that students could design products in 2D and 3D which we could manufacture and post to them at home. Students have cooked some impressive meals for their families and made face masks.

"We have an Instagram account celebrating all the work that our students achieved which has been shared with students and parents. Our students are also successful in national competitions and have used lockdown to develop their knowledge and skills and apply them to real life problems.”

King Ecgbert School pupil Daisy Haigh with virus indicator patch for the Big Bang competition.King Ecgbert School pupil Daisy Haigh with virus indicator patch for the Big Bang competition.
King Ecgbert School pupil Daisy Haigh with virus indicator patch for the Big Bang competition.
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King Ecgberts is the only school in the area to deliver the Design, Engineer, Construct programme at both Key Stage 4 and 5 which introduces students to aspects of the built environment from architecture to planning and quantity surveying.

This year, four Year 9 students – Tilly Hilton, Ayesha Khan, Grace Kirk and Elijah Toombs – have reached the national final of the Home of 2030 competition organised by George Clark.

Year 8 student, Daisy Haigh, was also a national winner in a STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) competition organised by the Big Bang.

Ms Hardy added: “She used her knowledge and skills from Design and Technology and Science to not only design but model and package a Covid patch to improve testing.”

Pictured is King Ecgbert pupil Tilly Hilton showing a design for the House of 2030 competitionPictured is King Ecgbert pupil Tilly Hilton showing a design for the House of 2030 competition
Pictured is King Ecgbert pupil Tilly Hilton showing a design for the House of 2030 competition

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