We are delighted to announce that Highgate’s Design, Technology and Engineering Team have been named Outstanding Departmental Team at the Design and Technology Association Excellence Awards.
These annual Awards recognise the commitment and achievements of teachers, education consultants and academics across primary and secondary schools and further and higher education. This year they took place at Aerospace Bristol under the iconic Concorde.
Highgate’s busy and popular Design Technology and Engineering department works with pupils from 4 to 18 years old, igniting their creativity and problem-solving skills to develop and make prototypes/products that solve real world problems.
Former DTE students have gone to pursue exciting, rewarding and innovative careers, including at Rolls Royce and Dyson, and as entrepreneurs or inventors, launching successful companies in cutting-edge fields of technology.
The department exemplifies sustainability by recycling materials and transforming waste plastics into functional products for charity. One of the projects in Y12 (A Level) has a focus on upcycling waste materials into marketable products. Further down the school, pupils make air monitors, bee bricks, bird boxes, tote bags, smart recycling bins and more. The department is currently growing bamboo to make bikes.
Pupils regularly take part in external programmes, including Arkwright Engineering Scholarships, IET Faraday, Greenpower, Vexrobotics, Airgineers and the Triumph Design Award. Internally, there are extracurricular clubs including Robotics, DroneClub, Automobile society, interform and house competitions.
Highgate’s dedication and commitment to partnership work has touched hundreds of students and teachers, impacting diverse communities, from those with special needs to the gifted and talented.
Megan Taylor, Head of DTE, commented: “We are thrilled to receive this award from the Design and Technology Association. This is a testament to the DTE team and their hard work to make it happen. Credit to Andy Thomson who was an inspirational leader of the team for the last 18 years. I am looking forward to the new role as Head of DTE and to lead this fantastic team.”
Recent Highgate Alumna, Vivika Martini, who went on to study Engineering at UCLA in California, enthuses about her experiences of DTE here.
