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Design

Subject Leader Design – Daniel Pledger (BA Hons)

The Design department offers a challenging, high quality creative experience. We aim to provide lessons of interest and relevance where students are motivated to complete projects to a high standard. Under the guidance of our talented and experienced staff, students can produce work with an emphasis on the production of functional, useful and beautiful products. With our excellent purpose-built facilities, well-equipped workshops and studios we offer students the opportunity to fully explore design and practical activities while encompassing the ideologies of innovation, science and technology.

As a department we prepare students well for the future (university and beyond), a high percentage of our student end up studying Product/Industrial Design, Product Engineering, Architecture, Engineering and Graphic Design.

Ex Students:

Charlie Pouget (Design Engineer for Dyson)

“Simon Langton is where my passion for design was first acknowledged, and thanks to the support and skills of all the design staff it’s where I started my journey in life…” 

Aran Dasan (Design Engineering and Co-founder of Ento)

“Product Design in the Langton DT department was one of the best decisions I ever made. It put a creative streak into my work and set me on a trajectory towards a professional design career…”

Design at KS3

The Design department offers a challenging, high quality creative experience. We aim to provide lessons of interest and relevance where students are motivated to complete projects to a high standard. Under the guidance of our talented and experienced staff, students can produce work with an emphasis on the production of functional, useful and beautiful products. With our excellent purpose-built facilities, well-equipped workshops and studios we offer students the opportunity to fully explore design and practical activities while encompassing the ideologies of innovation, science and technology.

Projects range across all design types:

Product Design

Product Analysis and Evaluation

Industrial Design

Model Making

CAD/CAM/3D Printing

Engineering

Concept Modelling

Structures and Architecture

Students are given the opportunity to develop their 3-D problem solving skills to a high level through a range of challenges and tasks, coupled with a variety of materials and technologies, including our specialist CAD-CAM equipment. The applied nature of the subject provides students with ample opportunity for creativity and academic rigor.

The tuition covers a broad range of content from the underpinning theory, design/ideation skills, sketching and design drawing through to CAD (Computer Aided Design). Evidence for assessment is compiled as a portfolio but produced in a wide range of software packages:

  • Full Adobe Suite – Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign
  • Google sketch-up, CAD Fusion 360, Keyshot, 2D Design.
  • CAM – 3D Printing, Laser Cutting, CNC machines.

The KS3 and 4 course is designed to prepare students for A-level and beyond, for further information please contact Mr Pledger (Subject Leader of Design).

Design at KS4

What is the course about?

Students are given the opportunity to develop their 3-D problem solving skills to a high level through a range of challenges and tasks coupled with a variety of materials and technologies, including our specialist CAD-CAM equipment. The applied nature of the GCSE course provides students with ample opportunity for creativity and academic rigor. This is a challenging but rewarding course allowing for innovative and creative production of both conceptual and manufactured products.

Method of study:

Currently we explore the iterative design process through traditional sketching and rendering techniques and a variety of 3D modelling tasks. This leads onto the development of a new product which is then communicated by the production of a realistic product model using Computer Aided Design to visualise the student’s concepts. We also delve into some of the material areas that students may not have previously experienced, with short making focussed task, in an effort to prepare fully for the assessed work. Towards the end of year 10 students will be asked to select the focus for their ‘Iterative Design Challenge’ from a theme given to them by their teacher. Evidence for assessment is compiled as an e-portfolio but produced in a wide range of software packages:

  • Full Adobe Suite – Photoshop, Illustrator.
  • CAD – Fusion 360 , Keyshot, 2D Design.
  • CAM – 3D Printing, Laser Cutting, Cam machines

Department Infrastructure:

The department has invested heavily in the latest technologies to support this new GCSE such as 66 PC’s with industry standard CAD and graphics software, rapid prototyping machinery, laser cutter, cnc router, touch screen tablet computer and new workshop equipment.

Possible career paths:

The course leads comfortably into the Product Design A level which is excellent preparation for access into degree courses in Product/Industrial Design, Product Engineering, Architecture, Engineering, Graphic Design, Car Design and Apprenticeships

Scholarship opportunities: Our best performing design students will have the opportunity to apply for the prestigious Arkwright scholarship.

For further information please contact Mr Pledger or visit https://www.instagram.com/langtondesign/

Design at KS5

The AQA Product Design A-Level enables students to develop an understanding of the physical and mechanical properties in a broad range of materials and components. Students will look at the broader issues of design including: the environmental impact of products and their manufacture; methods in which materials and components can be manipulated to manufacture products; health and safety issues relevant to working with materials; computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacture (CAM); ergonomics and anthropometrics, inclusive design, and consumer safety; the life cycle of products including manufacture, use and functional aspects and final disposal.

The course here is designed to cover both the board’s specification and that of expanding a student’s design capability towards further education. The course is set up in Year 12 to give a broad foundation in design practice – these skills intended to bring out a student’s creativity, allow them to find their own strengths in the subject and to build their independence of learning.  Key kills in sketching/drawing, CAD and 3D modelling are taught and encouraged as the basis for visualising ideas. Knowledge and understanding of wider design issues and technology are also regularly taught.

The tuition covers a broad range of content from the underpinning theory, design/ideation skills, sketching and design drawing through to CAD (Computer Aided Design). Evidence for assessment is compiled as an e-portfolio but produced in a wide range of software packages:

  • Full Adobe Suite – Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign
  • CAD – Fusion 360, CREO,  Keyshot, 2D Design.
  • CAM – 3D Printing, Laser Cutting, Cam machines.

Under the guidance of our talented and experienced staff, students can produce work of a high standard with an emphasis on the production of functional, useful and beautiful products. With our excellent purpose-built facilities, well-equipped workshops and studios we offer students the opportunity to fully explore design and practical activities while encompassing the ideologies of innovation and technology.

A level Specification at a glance

  • Paper 1  – Technical Principles 30% (Mix of short and extended responses)
  • Paper 2 – Designing and making Principles 20% (Mix of short and extended responses + product analysis + commercial manufacture questions.)
  • Non Examined Assessment/Coursework 50% (45hrs single substantial design and making task.)

The A level course is designed to prepares students for degree level and beyond – a high percentage of our students end up studying Product/Industrial Design, Product Engineering, Architecture, Engineering and Graphic Design.

For further information please contact Mr Pledger (Subject Leader of Design):

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