Girl Power!? What is the importance of D&T in a girls' school curriculum?

[TomorrowOnce]

This is just to initiate some (hopefully meaningful) discussion ...

Girl Power!? But why is it that some of the London girls’ schools do not offer D&T?

I remember when my family visited the HIGHGATE SCHOOL, we were super super wowed by their D&T ‘laboratory’ - yet, there were mostly boys showing us the fab lab.

This got me started wondering (not so lightbulb moment!) ….

Having visited many of the London girls’ schools for our DD, I realised that some of them do not offer D&T. Some D&T labs of girls’ schools were so cool (no need to name them now) ... I feel that not having D&T as an option is against the purpose of these institutions as places where young girls learn without boundaries in this current and fast-evolving world of ours - or maybe they offer alternatives?

Is D&T needed to empower and enable young girls to be tomorrow’s innovators, engineers, designers and entrepreneurs?

Is it important for these young girls to experience getting ‘dirty’ - cutting wood, moulding plastic, bending metal, thinking about their properties, appearance and quality? (In the not so old curriculum, where food tech is considered D&T -- be able to get to understand food and nutrition, and again, getting ‘dirty’ in the kitchen.) Some D&T covers acrylics, electronics, vehicle design, etc.

D&T is offered from Year 7 to Year 9 in most schools. D&T then becomes an option for GCSE.

Boarding school Wycombe Abbey offers D&T!
Love love that they also do Cookery!

Compiled some data below. Mostly from Greater London schools. Well Sought Comps. Independent. Grammar. What are your thoughts?

-Disclaimer: Not a D&T person here. Not good in design! I do not work for any of the exam boards or for any of the schools listed below. I am just an interested MNetter, who likes to discuss education-related issues.-

Copied from AQA, Edexcel and OCR: The D&T GCSE places greater emphasis on understanding and applying iterative design processes. Students will use their creativity and imagination to design and make prototypes that solve real and relevant problems, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. Focus normally is on Product Design. Used to incorporate Food Technology. The different endorsed routes previously available in Design and Technology (Resistant Materials, Textiles Technology, Systems and Control, and Graphic Products) have now been removed, combining all material areas into a single Design and Technology qualification. Very confusing ...

D&T is NOT the same as Computer Science (CS). CS data is included because some consider this as ‘Technology’. CS is mostly understanding Computing and some programming, no? (Another point for discussion)

D&T is also NOT the same as Art&Design. Most schools have Art&Design Fine Art - Fine art practice is defined here as the need to explore an idea, convey an experience or respond to a theme or issue of personal significance.

PLEASE CORRECT ERRORS YOU MAY FIND.

Schools that DO NOT offer D&T: (number of students/ total doing GCSEs that year)*
*Data is based on available GCSE results and/or curriculum in their website.

Channing – NO D&T (Art&Design 39/109, CS 16/109) = GCSE 2019 Data

FHRP – NO D&T (Art and CS are offered). 2021 Website

FHSS – NO D&T (Art and CS are offered). 2021 Website

NLCS – NO D&T (Art&Design 29/112, CS 12/112) – 2019 GCSE Data
[A new Engineering & Technology department opened in 2020]

Northwood College GDST – NO D&T (but Art&Design Textiles 12/64 is offered, Art 12/64, CS 21/64) = 2020 GCSE Data

SPGS – NO D&T (own Visual Art option not reported, CS 24/100) – 2020 GCSE Data
[own Creative/Computer Technology option not reported is available]

St James Senior Kensington Olympia – NO D&T (Art, CS are offered). 2021 Website

QCL – NO D&T (Art 21/52, CS 18/52)

SAP – NO D&T (but Art, Craft & Design 14/51 is offered, CS 10/51)

Schools that offer D&T:
(FoodTechnology or Preparation&Nutrition have been integrated in the D&T data following the not so old curriculum.)

Blackheath HS GDST - D&T, Art&Design, and CS are all offered. 2021 Website

Camden School for Girls - D&T, Art&Design, and CS are all offered. 2021 Website

CLSG – D&T (42/92) + Art (27/92), CS (6/92) = 2018 GCSE Data

G&L School – D&T (17/118; incl FoodP&N) + Art&Design (49/118) and CS (18/118) = 2020 GCSE Data

Grey Coat - D&T, Art&Design, and CS are all offered. 2021 Website

Habs Girls - D&T (21/133) + Art (23/133), CS (12/133) = 2020 GCSE Data

Henrietta Barnet – D&T (42/99) + Art (14/99), CS (18/99) = 2020 GCSE Data.

JAGS – D&T (25/353) + Art (110/353), CS (34/353) = 2017-2019 GCSE Data

LEHS – D&T (21/103; incl FoodTech) + Art&Design (29/103), CS (20/103) = 2020 GCSE Data

Nonsuch – D&T Product Design (90/208), Textiles Technology (19/208), Food (18/208), Art (22/208), Photography (29/208), CS (42/208) = 2020 GCSE Data.

NHEHS GDST – D&T (10/90) + Art (25/90), CS (21/90) = 2019 GCSE Data

Palmers Green HS - D&T, Art&Design, and CS are all offered. 2021 Website (Love the pink-ness of this school!)

PHS GDST – D&T (42/106) + Art (25/106), CS (13/106) = 2020 GCSE Data

Queens Gate – D&T (11/48) + Art (16/48), CS (13/48) = 2019 GCSE Data

Sacred Heart’s Hammersmith - D&T, Art&Design, and CS are all offered. 2021 Website

SHHS (South Hampstead) GDST – D&T (16/95) + Art&Design (26/95), CS (6/95) = 2020 GCSE Data

St Helen’s - D&T, Art&Design, and CS are all offered. 2021 Website

SCHS GDST – D&T (15/83) + Art (27/83), CS (14/83) = 2020 GCSE Data

St Marylebone - D&T (incl Food), Art&Design (Fine Art and Textiles), and CS are all offered. 2021 Website

St Michaels Catholic Grammar - D&T, Food&Nut, Art (but not CS) are all offered. 2021 Website

Tiffin Girls – D&T Graphics, D&T Resistant Materials + Art&Design, CS are offered. 2021 Website

Wallington Girls – D&T (56/208 Graphics, RM), Food (19/208), Art&Design (25/208), Photography (6/208), CS (52/208) = 2019 GCSE Data

WHS – D&T (6/86) + Art (23/86), CS (8/86) = 2019 GCSE Data

Surbiton HS – D&T (35/177) + Art (53/177), CS (14/177); Art Photography is offered. = 2019 GCSE Data

Sydenham HS GDST – D&T, Art&Design, and CS are all offered. 2021 Website

[ErrolTheDragon]

DDs (girls GS) only did triple science. Prereform, so I know it's not strictly comparable but it shows the value they put on these subjects. Of course they offered the full range of 'creative arts' too - some of the girls did art, music and drama alongside a full EBAcc academic set, and there was optional Latin - it wasn't at all a 'force girls into STEM' scenario!

[TomorrowOnce]

Nice discussion here!

@Neim Thanks for the comments coming from an engineer yourself. Hope you are finding ways to inspire the next generation. Agree with you that many girls would love the practical parts of DT – given the opportunity – linking maths, sciences and the other fields.

@Hersetta Food Tech and Textiles! Surprised myself that not all schools offer these.

@Corblimbea Got confused about D&T and A&D because both have D.

@SoupDragon “If they don't get to try it they won't know though.” This!

@itinerant42 True about CLSG. I did not want to rank schools by facilities except for mentioning the co-ed Highgate. CLSG has one of the better D&T labs amongst the independent schools.

@Lanzo Agree about the concept of less academic subjects. One independent Head argued about this before though – labelling of “less” and “softer”. Need to do my research. Computing is fun, but the ‘fabrication’ and ‘design iteration’ will be missed. Clubs are fun – still different from being ‘graded’ – part of their certificate (the C in GCSE).

@HebeJeeby “I hated this as I quite fancied having a go at woodwork. Plus, imo, it reinforces the notion that cooking is for girls. How many threads do we see on here where the male partners does next to nothing in the house causing issues in the relationship.Additionally, we are limiting girls choosing STEM careers (which are often better paying than non-STEM careers) at an early age. This then has a knock on effect with the Gender Pay Gap etc...and contributes to the thinking in some areas that there are blue jobs and pink jobs.” This!

@ErrolThe Dragon sparking the interest! “But so short sighted - and from the numbers sexist - of those parents.” This!

@Ipsandmore Horticulture – a rarity! Yes – about state schools. Yes – I was told that the engineering news was one of the highlights in last year’s offer holders’ day at NLCS. Better late than never!

@MonochromeMinne – Nice to know that your DDs are using the skills.

@bsc Your DD is great! “were made to take academic subjects only by their parents” Why? After all the compulsory subjects, there should be space for … others!

@Wigmic Good for QE Girls!

[bsc]

Well, they're only allowed 10 now, whereas pre-reform the top end were doing 14 or 15. Too much content now.

[Candleabra]

My daughter does DT GCSE (one of only two girls in the year). She also does Computer Science (only girl). This is a big school as well, so both options have two classes in the year.

She loves DT and has found it a brilliant way of bringing to life a lot of theoretical science (though it's been a rubbish option to take in a pandemic as they haven't been able to make anything this year). Unfortunately this seems to be a subject that is pushed towards the less academic types, and she complains that most of her class is made up of 'naughty boys' who are extremely disruptive.
(No idea how to put that comment nicely)

[ArseInTheCoOpWindow]

I’ve taught DT for 25 years. Always loads of girls.


You’ve left Textiles off l think. Biggest option at my school including A level. Plenty of Science and physics in that. All DT is a STEM subject.

It was this government that destroyed DT. It was one of the most popular options prior to that, and was a core subject for about 10 years when it first arrived.

[girlonaswing]

DT teacher at a co-ed grammar, this is really sad, and somewhat shocking, the lack of DT in these schools. The skills needed by future employers are probem solving, creativity, collaborative work etc .A good understanding of how products are influenced by culture, history, new technologies, effects on the user and society are so importance across all careers today. Obsession with so -called 'academic' subjects is killing the development of UK originated design/manufacturing, we cannot rest on our laurels of being innovators if we are dismissing 50% of our upcoming generation's lost contributions. If they are unable to explore DT at an early stage in their education.

[bsc]

What numbers of girls are taking DT in your school, @girlonaswing? My school tends to have 10 rest matls, 10 textiles, 10 food each year (along with 15-20 CS, and 55-60 do art, for comparison), we have intake of 150.

[GrasswillbeGreener]

My niece did DT at her local London coed comp. What was on offer however was graphic design - I suspect because it is cheaper? She's loved it and continued it for A levels.

My two both enjoyed DT at prep schools, and indeed when we visited senior schools they generally lit up when we got to the woodwork areas. However, neither have actually pursued DT at senior school due to pressure of other subjects, choosing music as their creative GCSE instead. DD at coed, boarding, did a mix of resistant materials and textiles in yr 9, most girls who continued with DT there chose textiles. DS at boys boarding, had a choice of art or DT in yr 9 and heard that the art teaching that year was better. He's just had some careers counselling that has strongly encouraged him towards engineering disciplines, and hence suggested he consider DT as an additional A level after maths/FM and physics. It is competing with philosophy and a couple of other subjects though. Conversations with teachers to be had!

[ErrolTheDragon]

I was quite impressed by the electronics products gcse DD did, and also her 'artefact' EPQ. There was a strong element of designing within specified criteria (cost, potential user base etc etc). There was 'project planning' and report writing. Really useful skills. If she had been limited on numbers of subjects, I'd have wished (though it wouldn't have been permitted) that she did this in preference to an MFL or even (heresy!) English Literature... the latter only served to put her off reading fiction and going to the theatre. Analyse a love poem versus write a technical report?

[bsc]

I think early education is the crucial part though- most girls come to us, and the 'DT' they've done at primary is woeful- they may have made a fruit salad, or occasionally done cross stitch on aida...but that's it (and, I get it, primaries dont have space or budgets for batik, or laser cutters/3d printers, or multiple ovens for cooking, let alone multiple sets of cooking equipment).

DD was exceptionally fortunate to attend an independent pre-prep and prep, with an equipped food tech room, that all used from age 3, a dedicated DT workshop, where she could use hand tools from an young age, investigate forces and hydraulics, construct items from wood, etc, a dedicated computing suite that pupils accessed weekly from Y2, an art room with batik/dying facilities, glass painting and a pottery kiln, etc. Many independent schools don't have quite such a range of facilities, and certainly the 93% educated in the maintained sector don't have access to those either. I think access to, and interest in DT is a problem across sectors, and both sexes.

Coincidentally, our 'brother' school down the road offers DT, but not DT textiles nor food, nor do they offer CS.
The boys' grammars here do offer DT and CS, though only two of them offer food to GCSE and none offer textiles (I have a DS too). A couple offer engineering at A Level also.

[dipdips]

My girls are at a co-ed comp which has an amazing facility - largely sponsored by a local very famous company. They have a 3d printer, all sorts of amazing wood and metal turning equipment, several cookery rooms, textiles rooms, also a brick laying greenhouse. Lots of girls take the DT options for GCSE despite it being co-ed, it is definitely cool to be in to design, tech, coding, robotics as a girl at their school not just cooking and textiles.

[ErrolTheDragon]

It's interesting, there seems to be a difference in ethos and some subtle or not so subtle effect on whether girls take these subject when available between schools ostensibly of the same 'type'. Maybe some of it comes from the SLT, some from the enthusiasm or otherwise of the tech teachers of various types.

[ArseInTheCoOpWindow]

‘Not just cooking and Textiles’

Loads of boys take both at my school, including A level. I’ve had one go to the RCA

[RB68]

I think one of the core issues is the breadth of the subject. Cookery, textiles, electronics, woodworking, metalworking, product design and materials, packaging and graphics

My sister teaches and has taught each of the above in boys, girls and mixed she is finding it hard as a very experienced DT teacher to find work as more and more its being narrowed down to virtually no provision. Her back ground is graphics and packaging (incl matrials) thankfully we have an eclectic family and she has pulled on our knowledge as well as gone out of her way to find out about areas where she is interested but not experienced. It is such a neglected area and can be so useful in everyday life as well as careers

[thetell]

I have found that my DG's love DT in their mixed school, no stigma to getting stuck in to woodwork or making lamp & they are very proud of their cooking & sewing projects too. Normal state school with surprisingly brilliant provision. They also enjoy creative media and tech subjects.

[ErrolTheDragon]

Some of you may be interested in this column in the Times today. DT in schools can be a real gateway to engineering so if girls aren't doing it as much as boys it's a problem.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/it-is-crucial-we-get-more-young-women-working-in-science-q33gg6kxf?shareToken=f0683b2738e71a569e1c319e856cae1d

[ArseInTheCoOpWindow]

You se the problem with that article for me is it ignores aesthetics. And DT and design is about producing a functional yet aesthetic product. And people often sneer at it disregard the aesthetics of something.

[ErrolTheDragon]

That column had one particular focus. I totally agree re aesthetics also often being important and an additional reason for a variety of DT options. The electronic products gcse DD did wasn't just about getting the circuit to work, the design and usability were also part of it.
The model of everyone doing a mix of tech subjects in ks3 and then one in ks4 is probably ideal.

[bsc]

Thank you for the article @ErrolTheDragon
Some truly depressing comments BTL, as always.

[TomorrowOnce]

Nice link from @ErrolTheDragon

Hallo and thanks everyone for the support on this thread. What was supposed to be a chat about more of the London indies/grammars - became a full discussion on the current issues surrounding governmental rulings on D&T.

Had emails from some parents going to indies that it is a shame that schools that offer Product Design do not have HE/Food Tech ... Also a lot of diversion by many schools to focus on Computer applications ...

[SJaneS49]

Interesting thread! DD2 is at an all Girls State (partially selective, not London) & no D&T (just Fine Art, Graphics and Textiles) and yes she does have Cookery along with Dance and Drama. While I’m not sure it’s something she’d personally be interested in, I agree the lack of inclusion of D&T in many of the girls schools listed says something about what is perceived as ‘female’ subjects and doesn’t take us nearer in terms of equality in the product design & engineering sectors.

[GirlsInGreen]

My yr8 dd just chose DT as an option (girls indepedendent Midlands). I couldn't get my head round what DT was ( wasn't offered at my Sec Mod), tried to talk her out of it .

Just showed her this thread (thank you all ) she's feeling RIGHTEOUSLY VINDICATED and I may never hear the end of it