Design & Technology
"Good design is all about making other designers feel like idiots because that idea wasn't theirs"
Course Information S1 & S2
The Design and Technology course for S1 & S2 pupils covers a range of innovative topics within the areas of Design, Technology and Graphics. Pupils are challenged to develop their knowledge and understanding of design and their creativity and problem solving skills.
All of the activities covered in the S1 & S2 course link to our individual departmental subjects: Design and Manufacture, Graphic Communication, and Practical Woodworking; which are available to pupils from S3 onwards.
Course Information S3
On entering S3 pupils can start to specialise within specific subject areas, in preparation for embarking on their National Courses. Options available within the Design and Technology Department for pupils in S3 include:
- Design and Manufacture
- Graphic Communication
- Practical Woodworking
Course Information Senior Phase
- Practical Woodwork National 4
- Practical Woodwork National 5
- Automotive (Skills for Work) Level 4
- Bricklaying (Units) Level 4/5
- Engineering Science (Units) Level 6
Design & Manufacture
Design and Manufacture is a course designed for people interested in designing the products or services of the future.
You will learn about the design process and how this is used to solve complex problems. A blend of developing both practical skills and design-thinking will see you use different materials, machines and processes to create the products of the future.
Graphic Communication
Everybody uses graphics.
From watching TV and playing video games, to architects and advertisers, graphics are the backbone of the modern world.
You will learn about Computer Aided Design (CAD), engineering drawing, 3D printing, visualisation and animation through to graphic design, vector art, photography, desktop publishing and professional printing.
Practical Craft Skills
Stuff needs to be made and to make stuff properly, you need to have the knowledge of materials and tools and the skills to use them properly.
Every good designer or engineer should have experienced what it is like to make something.
In craft courses, you will learn the professional techniques to fashion materials into products.
Design & Technology - Staff
Mr R Henry: (Depute Rector)
Mr Henry is a former pupil of the school and returned to take up post as Depute Rector in 2015. He graduated from Edinburgh University (Moray House) in 1987 taking up post as teacher of Technology at Lockerbie Academy. He moved to Dalbeattie High School, as Senior Teacher, in 1992 and was appointed Principal Teacher two years later, he remained at Dalbeattie High School until taking up post here at The Academy in 2015. Within Design & Technology his specialist areas are Graphic Communication and Engineering Science, however he has experience teaching all subjects on offer within the department.
Mr F McGarrie
Mr McGarrie was a probationer teacher in the Technical Dept during 2019/2020 and was successful in being appointed to a permanent post in August 2020. He brings with him a vast amount of experience from his time working in the construction industry.
Mr R Orr
Mr Orr joined the school in August 2020 to take up the post of Teacher of Technical subjects. He started his career as an engineer in cutting tools, before returning to Sheffield Hallam University to do a PGCE in Technology. He taught in England for 7 years before moving his family to D&G. He started at Dalbeattie High in 2006 and remained there for the last 14 years, working alongside Mr Henry for many of those years. He has worked for the SQA in a variety of roles including verifier and marker during this time.
