Our DT upcycling project

From planning to the final result, Amy Austin, walks us through her pupils’ prize-winning DT upcycling project.

As a Head of Department, I have always been used to planning and preparing projects ahead of time to ensure outcomes are high quality and function well. I have worked with staff to generate examples before introducing new project ideas to students. This project was completely different: born out of the need to get back into the workshop and experience the joy of practicals.

During the third national lockdown, the Design and Technology department at The Hall School spent time discovering computer-aided design. Using a range of recycled materials at home to complete STEM challenges, we attempted to remain creative during all lessons. Upon our return to school in March, it was clear it would not involve the use of our specialist workshop. Due to the Covid bubble system in place at school, no groups were allowed to mix, and students were taught in form groups. As a result, I would attend lessons with Year 4 to Year 7 (with as many resources as I could carry) and attempt small practical tasks in classrooms that were not built for that purpose.

At this time, it is arguable that creative subjects had the toughest challenge to try and support pupils’ creativity without having access to the specialist resources they would normally have, including their classrooms. The driving force behind the “our sign” project was to find a way back into the workshop that allowed for creativity to flourish.

Planning stages

This led to the idea of creating a large upcycled sign to celebrate and promote the subject that would read “Design & Technology,” with each letter being manufactured from various resources and using distinct processes. The planning process started by rearranging our tool cupboard, searching for parts and materials to try and generate our sign. I joined The Hall school in 2019, and the workshop still holds various objects that have been hidden in the back of cupboards under layers of dust, undiscovered due to lockdowns. Broken tools, cogs, parts of a hand drill and brace, along with various scraps of materials suddenly became exciting objects that could be used as a basis to plan around.

Each day, a different year group would be allowed to enter the workshop that was otherwise out of action. Students rummaged and scavenged through the room like mini tornados during their allocated breaks and lunch times to find pieces of old materials they could recycle and use to create the sign. Pupils who were interested and wanted to get creative would sketch out the parts and would send them via email. A completed design of the final sign quickly emerged over a week with pupils from each year group being assigned a specific letter to manufacture.

Blended learning manufacture

I would collect students from their form rooms and walk them down to the workshop. A blended learning system of technology and traditional techniques enabled several manufacturing techniques to take place at once in the room. I employed flipped learning through the school’s virtual learning system. I recorded several videos of how to carry out manufacturing processes using wood, plastic and metal, using a range of tools and equipment. Students would watch videos before entering and therefore felt confident in describing the making process, including tools they needed and were able to create a part. They would then email me a manufacturing description for each letter, and I would reply with any tips or adjustments and workshop availability.

The pupils would eagerly await the days they could enter the Design and Technology workshop as if it were a birthday or Christmas! Once their time arrived, wide-eyed, they would queue in their classes waiting to be collected. On the walk to the room, they would fire excitable questions at me and then, once in, they would quickly find the pieces they had worked on and continue independently.

The workshop quickly became a dynamic, interactive learning environment where I was only guiding the students as they applied knowledge and concepts they had watched at home. I would find myself watching the room for health and safety issues and only intervening very infrequently or demonstrating, as and when needed. I found I had more time to enhance students’ work and to focus my attention on those who needed my support.  The bespoke letters took around 6 weeks to create.

The practical buzz and bustle of the room was everything the students and I had wished for over the past year.

The result

The final department sign now hangs proudly above the arch in our workshop. It has gained a lot of attention from other students and staff. The use of recycled materials and the range of different manufacturing techniques has really challenged students’ approach to projects. I have realised that this project enabled them to take ownership of their work and it allowed them to select how they would like to design or make. It has truly developed their independence, knowledge and understanding of making. It can be hard, due to time constraints, to allow pupils the time they need to be creative. This project enabled those who were keen and excited to be back in the workshop making once again.

It has been a pleasure to see the results develop – from the sign to their practical understanding and the use of key vocabulary and their endless enthusiasm. Flipped learning has enabled greater outcomes and pupils have accessed a higher-level cognitive skill.

The project had an incredible reaction within our Twitter community, and we also entered the Promethean classroom stories competition, successfully winning a new interactive whiteboard! This led to the QR code resource that shows how each letter was created and the materials it has been made from.

The experience has been exceptionally positive. It has developed the relationships I have with students, improved the space in which we work together, and has a prominent and permanent place in our room demonstrating the passion and excitement we have as a school and community for the subject. In a trying time, it bought us happiness and led to such a fantastic outcome, we will share “our sign” with staff and students in The Hall for many years to come.