Barking Abbey School

• demonstrate high levels of technological understanding and application
• display high-quality making and precise practical skills
• have flashes of inspiration and highly original or innovative ideas
• demonstrate different ways of working or different approaches to issues
• be sensitive to aesthetic, social and cultural issues when designing and evaluating
• be capable of rigorous analysis and interpretation of products
• get frustrated when a teacher demands that they follow a rigid design-and-make process
• work comfortably in contexts beyond their own experience and empathise with users' and clients' needs and wants.

Barking Abbey Criteria

After discussion, it has been acknowledged within the department that whilst all the above criteria are accepted there is one defining factor that we all consider a prerequisite. This is the skill of analytical thought and interpretation. This is to include high order competence and independence in problem solving and original design.

“Analytical thought and interpretation”.

This has been highlighted as the specific area that defines a gift or talent for Design Technology. This differentiates these highly talented pupils from those who merely excel at manual dexterity or posses excellent artistic skills. Whilst the latter two qualities are acknowledged as making a student very talented they lack the fundamental skills needed to qualify as truly gifted in our area of study. This means that superb presentation and/or excellent dextral skills do not necessarily qualify a student as being Gifted and Talented.

Advice on how Parents can support their G&T child

Our courses are all of a practical nature and it is appreciated that experience and specialist tools and equipment are unlikely to be available in most family homes. The assistance that it is possible for parents to offer is therefore limited.

Consent and support for ALL G&T trips and activities offered. (During , before, after school, holidays and weekends)

Willingness to provide high specification IT software and hardware, available for student to use at home. This is necessary to support specialised advanced CADCAM software.

Note

It is acknowledged that the most effective method of highlighting G&T pupils will be ‘through outcome’ of tasks and project work. Therefore examination success is not necessarily a reliable indicator of talent and it is primarily the qualified teacher’s subjective assessment that defines whether a student possesses a gift or talent in Design Technology.

Extension Activities

Loxford Inter-school Technology Challenge

This is a whole day where G&T pupils are removed from the school timetable and compete in various design related challenges. These include a very broad range of task encompassing design, dextral ability and also the ability to effectively communicate ideas and to work collaboratively.

(CEME) Girls into Engineering Taster Day

An all girls group spend the day doing design and make Engineering tasks with careers input to illustrate the various career opportunities and pathways available. The whole presentation is delivered by female Engineers.

Rapid Prototyping

Three dimensional modelling of prototypes is possible through state of the art Rapid Prototyping. This is not available on the premises but software files are Emailed to the facility and the 3D models are available for collection within hours.

Extra- curricular activities

School Visits

Year Group	Visit details	Date
	Visit to Geffrye Museum The most able students are selected to go to this specialist museum and experience real examples of product design within a historical perspective. This allows the pupils to make their own inferences between school theory and the real world of Product Design and Design Styles.
	Saturday School at the Centre for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence (CEME) This consists of a 16 week course that is fully supported by CEME offering extremely high level courses in design and engineering. Pupils experience technology and equipment unavailable to most schools. This allows these pupils to stretch their engineering skill as well as experiencing the “cutting edge” of Technology. It also gives an idea of potential careers in engineering and manufacture.
	University Summer Taster courses This is for students who are thinking of attending university perhaps with no prior experience or knowledge of what a University education can offer. These are usually 2/3 days away (Residential).

After school clubs and enrichment activities

Year Group	Details	Date/Venues
11	Project development An open ended task whereby those G&T pupils will have a vast opportunity to develop their design and manufacturing skills. Those of a high ability will often begin bridging the gap between GCSE and A-level with help from their class teacher. This offers almost limitless potential for pupils’ self development. This is often supplemented by after school clubs or specialist sessions in particular manufacturing techniques.
10	Annual Bridge Building Competition This is a highly popular competition where students are set a task with specific and limiting conditions. These constraints replicate those of engineers in the real world and provide a paradigm for those G&T pupils to work within. The ultimate winner will have a successful design set within these constraints. This provides almost limitless potential for pupils’ self development

Useful resources
ygt.dcsf.gov.uk/

Staff contact details

Name	e-mail
Gary Randall	RandallG@babbey.bardaglea.org.uk