TECHNOLOGY FACULTY - Mr J Morris, Mrs K Crow, Mrs S Rowlands, Mrs D Hughes, Mrs T Vickers, Mr T Barber, Mr S Slater.

Design Technology is taught in modern, fully equipped rooms where pupils work with a variety of materials including food, fabric, materials, artists media and computers.   They are taught to plan, develop communication skills, work safely in teams and to evaluate their work and the work of others through a series of projects and activities.

Design Technology is arranged in units or modules with ICT, Food Technology and Resistant Materials Technology being taught at different times of the year.

Information and Communications Technology plays an ever increasing role throughout the school.   Extensive facilities include three computer suites based on popular P.C. hardware, together with library access for private study.  Several faculties in the school use ICT tools to support learning in the classroom. Urmston Grammar School encourages students to develop their own learning and independent study by making available two computer rooms at lunch times for all pupils.

As a National Curriculum subject, the Faculty offers either Food Technology or Resistant Materials Technology as short course G.C.S.E. subjects. In addition G.C.S.E. I.T. (short course) is compulsory for all pupils.

Information Technology is studied to G.C.S.E. (Edexcel) as aon option in Year 10 and Year 11  This course builds on the foundation work completed in Years 7 - 9 and prepares pupils with a range of skills and competencies suitable for further education.   Two periods per week are allocated to this area of the curriculum where pupils will be engaged on project work which forms 60% of the total marks for this examination.

Art and Design is available as an option for students to study at bot KS4 and to Advanced level.

Students have opportunities to develop both practical and theoretical expertise in a large number of areas of Art and Design. Techniques studied include painting, drawing, graphic studies, textiles and three dimensional work through a thematic approach. Art and Design history is studied alongside students' practical studies to ensure that a broad and balanced approach is achieved. The Department offers a considerable degree of expertise which students are able to use in developing their own work, both inside and outside lesson times. For this reason the Art Department rooms are available during the lunchtimes for those pupils who wish to spend extra time completing work.

Business Studies is available as an option for students to study at KS4.

Home Economics is an academic discipline which draws on a number of subject skills. Students are taught to develop organisation and management skills and a technological approach to problem solving. That is, to analyse, to investigate alternatives, to evaluate and to make effective choices. These foundation skills are applicable to almost any choice of career and particularly relevant to teaching, social services, nursing and ‘caring professions' as well as general managerial jobs in the food and other industries.