Given the inordinate amount of time some pupils spend designing packages of one form or another we could reasonably expect to see some innovative products. Sadly, much of what is made is derivative and poorly finished. This may be because the activity is tacked on to the end of a larger project: “If your timer, hat, pizza or mechanical toy is finished, design a box for it.”

There should be no excuse for this now that this excellent new resource on package design and manufacture is available. Commissioned by the Industry Council for Packaging and the Envir-onment, the pack of photo-copiable materials includes industry-based case studies, a teacher’s guide and profiles of people in the industry. In addition, a set of issue papers allows pupils to consider package design and disposal in greater depth.

This is a versatile resource for key stage 4 that will help students to produce packages that protect, contain, preserve, inform and promote. A separate pack is available for KS3.