To start the new millennium we refurbished the five rooms in Design & Technology in graphics, textiles and food. Each area has been provided with computers and quality CAM machinery to enable the girls to produce excellent products. The two resistant materials workshops have also had extra investment to improve the CAM facilities.

At KS3 we have taken note of the changes proposed in the pilot and have changed the organisation of the projects so that the pupils will spend half a year with each teacher and explore two subject areas, either food and textiles or graphics and resistant materials.

The GCSE courses on offer are food,  graphics, resistant materials and textiles. The focus in all areas is the use of the computer aided design and computer aided manufacture. With the excellent facilities and experienced teaching the pupils can have confidence in gaining top grades.

In the last five years we have introduced two A-levels in Product Design and Textiles. Pupils who achieve high grades at GCSE can progress and develop their skills further and progress on to university and a career in design.

The design & technology department provides many extra-curricular activities with visits to places like the Design Museum and London buildings of interest as part of the Junior Open House scheme. The pupils are encouraged to enter competitions and engage with the world of design.

We have formed strong links with local primary schools and developed projects for the pupils to explore the joys of designing and making. We work with the secondary schools in the borough to help raise the standards of design & technology for all.

Our successful students have gone on to study