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FOOD TECHNOLOGY

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

A good design and a well equipped food technology room for education with an innovatively designed interior, taking into account DFE Guidance for space-planning and Health & Safety, can help provide an effective teaching and learning environment.

Design Criteria
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Research the latest curriculum requirements and discuss with piers and architects / furniture suppliers on new and innovative designs taking into account ;

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  • No of students

  • Teaching styles : Practical and Theory

  • Amount of appliances (sinks, cookers/hobs, whitegoods, machinery) per student

  • Furniture Layout taking consideration of flexibility, safe space planning between student work-stations taking into account DFE Design Guidelines.

  • Emergency stop buttons, gas safe provisions and isolation switches, first aid provision.

  • Adequate and sufficient drainage and ventilation / cooker / machinery extraction.

  • Teacher Demonstration Bench with associated services / whitegoods.

  • The ability for the teacher to be able to monitor all students preparing food and cooking.

  • DDA (Disability Discrimination Act 1995), allowing for teacher and/or student(s) within the room.

Furniture and Equipment
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  • Many furniture suppliers differ in quality and installation service. Note that furniture supplied as ‘High Density Particleboard’ is a sales ploy for chipboard. Better and stronger is MDF Board.

  • Hinges are usually the first items of furniture to fail and require maintenance.

  • Worktops vary : Laminated chipboard, Trespa / Solid Grade Laminate / Velstone / Corian. The latter 3 are moisture and heat resistant. Veslstone and Corian are acrylic seamless and look like a type of granite providing the environment with the ‘WOW’ factor. Trespa is very durable and more suited for Design Technology.

  • Loose Furniture : Stools should be skid based with a cantilever ‘U’ base to inhibit ‘rocking’; ergonomic and tested by FIRA (ask for FIRA Certification).

  • Design Technology and Food Technology is a popular and creative subject inspiring many students. A well designed and innovative teaching space promotes student learning and career advancement.

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