In the previous edition of The Bradfieldian, Head of Design, Nick Mills, discussed why an education in Design is an education for life, one which aims to inspire while furnishing pupils with the skills required to make the world a better place one design at a time. Our Upper Sixth designers have been working hard this year on the projects which are a response to a need in the real world with solutions stemming from empathy for the end users of their project. As they complete their varied and challenging practical outcomes, our A Level pupils now share their reflections on the skills the subject has helped them to develop which will help them in the world beyond Bradfield.
STUDYING DESIGN HAS HELPED ME TO EXCEL IN MY OTHER A LEVELS.
Marcus (D)
These past two years studying Design A Level have changed my perspective in so many ways. Due to the self-motivated nature of Design, everyone can get an A*, it comes down to how much work you are prepared to put in. There is a commitment to Design outside of the classroom which is unlike any other subject and at Bradfield every pupil is offered exceptional support.
Whether it be the arduous task of sanding down a small piece of metal until every imperfection is gone or doing that last practice question before my Maths exam when I’d rather go watch Netflix and call it a night, my studies and the support I have received have helped build my resilience. Furthermore, Design has taught me the highly valuable skill of learning how to present ideas from your mind in a contextualised way which anyone could understand. Not only is this important for graphic subjects but is a vital life skill which is invaluable in every field.
Studying Design has greatly developed my inquisitive and curious nature. I have learned how even if two things appear the same on the surface, chances are they are completely different when you dig deeper into it. This has helped me to excel in my other A levels, especially Physics, where being inquisitive and independent is vital to progress one’s learning.
MY TIME MANAGEMENT, RESILIENCE AND ANALYTICAL APPROACH HAVE MATURED OVER THE DESIGN COURSE.
Joe (G)
The Design course has taught me many skills that I will use in the future. Whilst it has taught me basic design practical abilities, I have also learnt lots of life lessons; my eye for detail, self-motivation, independence and creativity are all skills that have developed throughout the course.
My work in Design has benefited my other subjects too; my time management, resilience and analytical approach have matured over the design course, resulting in these skills helping my other subjects hugely. Studying Design has also made me more inquisitive something that I think will really benefit me when I go to university.
Through designing my own modular magnetic, posable desk lamp, my visual communication has vastly improved. Instead of getting frustrated about not being able to explain my ideas and thoughts, I can now explain my ideas through both verbal explanation and visual sketches. I have learnt many valuable lessons through Design that will be beneficial in the future.
I AM NOW MORE OPEN-MINDED TO TRY THINGS AND NOT BE AFRAID OF FAILURE.
Ben (G)
Through Design I have gained the ability to communicate effectively on top of more practical skills such as welding. I have improved my ability to analyse critically as well as being able to follow a plan. This process has also improved my resilience as there have been setbacks along the way that I have had to overcome. I am now more inquisitive about researching and exploring how things work in the world around me and I think I have become more innovative too.
Reflecting on my design projects I can see a clear improvement over the last two years. Both my visual and verbal communication has improved considerably and I am now more open-minded to try things and not be afraid of failure, appreciating that the first solution is often not the final one.
DESIGN HAS ENABLED ME TO BE MORE INQUISITIVE WITH MY WORK AND QUESTION HOW DRAWINGS AND MODELS COULD BE BETTER.
OSCAR (D)
I have gained many skills from studying Design such as creativity and independence. Throughout the course I have learnt to be resilient with failures which led me to the final successful version of my bungee chair. Studying Design has aided me in improving my communication skills both verbally with teachers and on paper, through drawings and writing. Also, Design has enabled me to be more inquisitive with my work and question how drawings and models could be better, not settling for simply good or alright.
DESIGN has taught me far more than I could have imagined and has undoubtedly been the best decision I have a made Bradfield.
Anthony (H)
I was never really interested in Design before I came to Bradfield. I always thought of it as making table and chairs but I was wrong. Design is so much more.
Design teaches many things: problem solving, research skills, being inquisitive and manufacturing. It has taught me far more than I could have imagined and has undoubtedly been the best decision I have a made Bradfield. It has taught me how to find solutions to problems everyone has.
During the pandemic when I was stuck in my room, I bought a UV light to see what objects in my house were most used. What I discovered was that my mouse and keyboard on my desk were surprisingly dirty. This got me thinking about how often a computer mouse is cleaned in a communal work area and this revelation sparked the journey for my A Level project. I set about designing an antimicrobial mouse and, after almost a year’s work, I have finally completed it.
