Teachers: - Mrs M Quinn

                 Mr D O'Neill

Technician: - Mr G. McAleese

Aims

• To encourage pupils to be enquiring, curious, inventive, creative resourceful, confident, and discriminating, through their technology and design activities.
• To develop individual initiative and the ability to work with others in the solving of problems in preparation for adult life.
• To encourage the acquisition of a body of knowledge and an understanding of the design process and its application to solving design problems.
• To develop a range of communication and making skills central to the design process.
• To provide a safe environment for pupils to work in.

KS3

The four elements of Technology (Communication, Design, Manufacturing and Control) are taught using an integrated approach. Pupils spend a majority of their time in the workshop making projects, but are also assessed through focused tasks, worksheets and exams. The pupils encounter work of a more complex and demanding nature as they progress through Key Stage 3. The main projects that the pupils work on are a Propeller Driven Buggy, a Can Light and a Steady Hand Game.

KS4

The Technology department is currently heavily involved in the Shared Education project run by the Ballymoney Learning Community. The department contributes through the delivery of units from the Occupational Studies GCSE to mixed classes of pupils from Our Lady of Lourdes School and Ballymoney High School.

A GCSE is awarded when two units from a particular strand (e.g. Engineering & Engineering Services) are completed at Key Stage 4. A student would typically do the “Hand Fitting” unit in Year 11 and then the “CAD” unit in Year 12.

Hand Fitting - This unit is designed to give the learner a basic understanding of the practical skills and basic knowledge required in the production of assembled components manufactured from metal. This unit includes: -

• consideration of health and safety issues within the unit;
• consideration of career opportunities available within engineering and/or manufacturing;
• selection and use of appropriate hand tools and measuring equipment;
• development of the techniques of measuring, cutting, filing, drilling and threading component parts;
• the manufacture of various parts for assembly to make a finished component;
• a review and evaluation of performance.

CAD - This unit introduces learners to basic skills in the use of an industry standard Computer Aided Design (CAD) drafting package. This unit includes: -

• consideration of health and safety issues in CAD;
• consideration of career opportunities in CAD;
• routine drafting techniques in CAD;
• creating component drawings in CAD;
• consideration of environmental issues in CAD;
• a review and evaluation of performance.