Year 9 were lucky enough to explore their GCSE options through a range of taster lessons that they had chosen for enrichment day. In Design and Technology students learnt about what the GCSE course would look like and what they would be learning and making.

One of our past students, Oliver Appa, ran a session on a career in model to inspire students and show them where design and technology could take them in their career. Oliver showed student examples of his work throughout his student career and from his university. They particularly enjoyed discussing these models and were fascinated by how they were made and how long they took to make.

As a student at Arts University Bournemouth, he delivered a wire model making workshop for students to explore working with metal and discussing how to create a 3D model from a 2D image. Students needed to consider the properties of the materials they were working with, the suitable tools available to them and how to shape these materials to achieve their desired model of an animal or insect.

The year 9 students were engaged and focused especially during their practical session and left having a taste of what choosing design and technology could lead to in their future. It was also great to see a past student return to share his experiences and knowledge with the students. Their horizons were broadened on the vast range of fields that modelmaking could take them; from automotive design to film props.