Design & Technology
INTENT – Our Vision for Design & Technology (D&T):
In Design & Technology, and supported throughout all subjects, we aim to provide inspiring and practical D&T education, equipping children with the skills to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. We want them to acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as Maths, Science, Engineering, Computing and Art. The children will learn how to take risks, become resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. We aim to educate our children to critically evaluate past and present design and technology and understand the essential contribution that high-quality design and technology has on culture, wealth and the well-being of the nation.
Our Curriculum reflects the ethos and aims of the school as well as the context from which our children derive. This means that our curriculum provides the necessary building blocks to develop the necessary knowledge and skills, whilst also promoting British Values, healthy lifestyles and mental wellbeing, plus excellent behaviour and attitudes. It is underpinned with a large emphasis on SMSC development, a strong practical outworking for others in line with our Christian ethos, whilst also building character & readiness for the next stages of education and the learning journey beyond.
To find out more about our intent, implementation and impact for D&T, please open:
IMPLEMENTATION – D&T Planning & Sequencing of Knowledge & Skills:
To find out how D&T is planned and sequenced in order that our children can progress through the building blocks for learning, please click below:
Aims of the National Curriculum in D&T:
The overarching aim for Design and Technology in the national curriculum is to promote high standards of purposeful and functional design work by encouraging pupil’s creativity and imagination. The national curriculum for Design and Technology aims to ensure that all pupils:
- develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
- build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users
- critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
- understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.
To find out more information about the National Curriculum for this subject & others, please click here.
Learning Experience: What is the breadth of experience provided for our children?
- Quality First teaching: variety of teaching styles & varied stimulus
- Quality Resources: A range of construction materials, mechanisms, cooking, textiles & tools
- Visits: Art galleries/exhibition spaces
- Visitors: Artists and Designers
- Experiences: Art Club, Art competitions, whole school projects, opportunities to exhibit artwork, links to other curriculum areas.
Resources: What resources are used to support the teaching & learning of this subject?
- Sketchbooks and varieties of paper and card
- Materials for construction (loose parts, Lego, blocks, glue and spreaders, hack saw, hammer, pins)
- Materials for cooking and nutrition (scales, mixing bowls, baking trays, sieves, measuring, chopping boards, knives, scissors, graters, whisks, tin opener)
- Materials for mechanisms (wheels, dowels, axels and supports, rubber bands)
- Craft materials such as felt, fabric, tape measures, needles and thread
- Clay and clay modelling tools
- Non-fiction books about designers, engineers and scientists
- Online resources.
Links with other Subject Areas: What links are made between this & other subject areas?
Links are made with other subject areas wherever possible and Design & Technology skills are often taught with themes in mind.
IMPACT of our D&T Curriculum:
We aim for our teaching of D&T to have a great impact on the lives of our children not only through the development of creativity, but also in laying the foundations for social mobility through the promotion of British Values as well as getting them ready for the next stages of their education.
Readiness for Next Stage of Education: How does this subject prepare our children for the next stage of their educational journey at secondary school & beyond?
We endeavour to ensure that the sequence of content enables our children to progress whilst they are with us but also to provide the building blocks necessary to build on at secondary school and their learning journey beyond. Underlying all of this is our emphasis on Leaning Culture which provides the underlying principles of attitude, resilience and character.
Promotion of Social Mobility: How does this subject promote social mobility?
Our aim is that no child is disadvantaged by their background situation and that, as a school, we provide everything that a child needs so that there is no cumulative dysfluency or cultural gaps in learning. As a result, we ensure that children have a broad range of curriculum experiences, free access to a wide variety of books, multiple opportunities to speak as well as listen, plus our curriculum is designed in order to boost general as well as subject specific vocabulary.
Promotion of British Values & SMSC: How does this subject promote British Values & SMSC?
Through our rich and varied curriculum, we ensure that our children are well equipped for life in modern Britain and, through subject linkage have an excellent understanding of Democracy, the Rule of Law, Responsibility & Liberty, Mutual Respect plus Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs. Our Curriculum is driven by SMSC Development and, as a result, pupils thrive – enjoying their lives, learning and want to make a difference for others.
Assessment: How is D&T assessed?
- Teacher assessment
- Marking
- Discussion
- Peer & self-assessment.
Monitoring & Evaluation: How do we know we have been successful?
- Lesson observations
- Work scrutiny
- Discussions
- Timetables
Long Term Memory: How does D&T impact on long term memory?
- Success Criteria
- Feedback / reflection from marking
- Curriculum Mats
- Links & connections with other subject areas plus old & new knowledge.
