Design and Technology
Design and Technology Curriculum Statement
"Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you look deeper, it's really how it works." (Steve Jobs)
Design and Technology prepares children for the rapidly changing world. Children are encouraged to become independent, creative problem solvers and learn how to develop collaborative and independent thinking skills. Opportunities are given for children to respond to needs and opportunities by developing their own ideas and products. Design and Technology is all about the combination of practical skills alongside developing an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues. Once designs have been discovered and created, DT lessons allow children time to reflect on and evaluate past and present technology, including their own creations and those of their peers.
Intent
Abbey Village Primary School we want to provide a rich Design and Technology curriculum across all classes. We aim to teach a unit of Design and Technology in all mixed age classes at least once per term. These units focus on: food technology and nutrition, electronics, mechanisms, structures and textiles. In Design Technology children are asked to solve problems and develop their learning independently. English, Maths and ICT skills are taught during discrete lessons but are revisited in Design Technology so children can apply and embed the skills they have learnt in a purposeful context.
We aim to develop children's creativity, technical and practical expertise so that they can perform everyday tasks confidently. It is important that children are given opportunities to build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills so they can create high-quality prototypes and products. We hope that when children leave us they are equipped to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
Implementation
Design and Technology is a crucial part of school life and learning. We are dedicated to the teaching and delivery of an exciting Design and Technology curriculum where children may experience things for the very first time. This subject allows opportunities for children to learn practically and apply their imagination and creatively in a purposeful way. Children learn to take risks and how to become reflective, resilient learners whilst learning how Design Technology impacts everyday life and the wider world.
Collaborative work in Design and Technology develops mutual respect for the differing opinions, abilities and beliefs of others. It also helps children to respect their environment and the health and safety of themselves and others. They learn to appreciate that their ideas and opinions may differ to others and also learn to show tolerance. Children are encouraged to work in a democratic way by listening to others and sometimes accepting the ideas of others may be more suitable than their own to create the most effective product.
Design and Technology is implemented in 5 different units:
- Food
- Paper Skills/ Structures
- Mechanisms
- Textiles
- Construction
From Early Years to the end of Key Stage 2, children will acquire new skills each year to build upon those previously taught.
We have eight key priorities at Abbey Village that underpin every subject area. We believe that by focusing on these key priorities our children will be ready to successfully meet the challenges of the next stage of their education and their lives.
Early Years Foundation Stage:
In reception, Design and Technology is covered in both the prime areas and the specific areas.
We encourage the development of skills; knowledge and understanding that help reception children make sense of their world through asking questions, listening to instructions and explaining their understanding.
In the early years (EYFS) children are encouraged to explore and use a variety of media and materials during a combination of adult directed and child-initiated activities. Children are given opportunities to use different media and materials to express their own ideas. Children begin to make plans and construct with a purpose in mind, using a variety of resources. They are encouraged to use what they know about different media and materials in original ways, not being afraid to explore and try new things. The children learn how to use simple tools and techniques appropriately, effectively and safely. The children Identify and discuss foods that are healthy and learn how to prepare some foods safely and hygienically.
Key Stage 1:
Children are taught through creative and practical activities the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in the designing and making process. They work in a range of relevant contexts that inspire and interest them.
When designing and making, pupils are taught to:
Design:
- Design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and others based on design criteria.
- Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, templates, mock-ups and, where appropriate, information and communication technology.
Make:
- Select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks, (or example, cutting shaping, joining and finishing).
- Select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their characteristics.
Evaluate:
- Explore and evaluate a range of existing products.
- Evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria.
Technical Knowledge:
- Builds structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer, and more stable.
- Explore and use mechanisms, (for example levers, sliders, wheels and axles), in their products.
KS1 – Food and Nutrition:
As part of their work with food, pupils are taught how to prepare food and cook food. They apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. Instilling a love of cooking in pupils will also open a door to one of the great expressions of human creativity. Learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that enables pupils to feed themselves and others affordably and well, now and later in life.
Children are taught to:
- Use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes.
- Understand where food comes from.
- Understandthe need fora variety of foods.
Key Stage 2:
Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process and designing and making. They should work in a range of relevant contexts.
When designing and making, pupils should be taught to:
Design:
- Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups.
- Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided system.
Make:
- Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks, such as cutting, shaping, joining and finishing, accurately.
- Select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities.
Evaluate:
- Investigate and analyse a range of existing products.
- Evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work.
- Understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world.
Technical Knowledge:
- Apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures.
- Understand and use mechanical systems in their products, (for example gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages).
- Understand and use electrical systems in their products, (for example series circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors).
- To apply their understanding of computing to programme, monitor and control their products.
KS2 – Food and Nutrition:
Pupils are taught to:
- Understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet.
- Prepare and cook a variety of predominately savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques.
- Understand seasonality and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.
Impact
Pupils are able to work collaboratively. They improvise, adapt and overcome problems. Pupils express their own creativety through their design. They build a repertoire of designing and making skills that they use confidently in a variety of contexts.
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