Walesby C of E Primary School

Design and Technology Curriculum

Intent

Implementation

Impact

At Walesby C of E Primary School, the Design and Technology curriculum allows children to apply their creativity and imagination through designing, making and evaluating. Children are encouraged to evaluate and reflect on existing products to enable them to develop ideas and create products that solve problems. Using a range of skills, processes, tools, equipment and materials pupils will design and make products thinking about and empathising with the needs of others to provide practical solutions for a variety of purposes.

Through design and technology children develop their technical knowledge and skills and apply this within other subject areas particularly, Maths, Science, Computing and Art.

Children are taught how to manage and take risks and encouraged to be innovative and resourceful. An effective evaluative design cycle ensures pupils reflect on past and present design and technology. Pupils are encouraged to adapt their ideas to improve their products to not only meet the design criteria but provide products that impact on daily life and the wider world.

Children are taught to create a range of structures, mechanisms, textiles, electrical systems and food products providing first hand experience with real life purpose.

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.

The teaching and implementation of the Design and Technology curriculum is based on the 2014 National Curriculum providing a broad framework and outlines the knowledge, skills and expectations for each Key Stage. Our curriculum is taught through a 2 year cycle, we use the Design and Technology associations ‘Projects on a Page’ to support us in the implementation of the curriculum. Ensuring we provide pupils with a well structured Design and Technology curriculum. (see long term plan).

Children design products for users, considering their needs and the purpose in mind.

In Key Stage 1 the curriculum is delivered through 4 main aspects – food, textiles, structures and mechanisms and in Key Stage 2, food, textiles, structures, mechanical systems and electrical systems. The Key stage 2 curriculum will also feature computer aided design.

Food technology is implemented across the school with children developing an understanding of where food comes from and the importance of a varied and healthy diet which links to our work in PSHE – Healthy Me.

All teaching of DT follows the design, make and evaluate cycle, which is inspired by real life, relevant contexts to enable pupils to gain a first hand experience of designing with a purpose and user in mind. There will be evidence of each of these stages in the children’s DT books which will develop to show a clear progression across each key stage.

Each unit of work addresses the six design and technology principles. User, purpose, functionality, design decisions, innovation and authenticity. Lessons across the key stage will include investigative and evaluative activities, focused tasks and a design, make and evaluate assignment. 

Children are given a choice of materials and tools in which to choose freely from to create their work. Children evaluate their own work against a design criteria. Pupils will be taught subject and content specific technical vocabulary.

Design and technology is taught to a high standard, with a balance of each of the aspects being covered.

Our Design and Technology curriculum is high quality and through investigative and evaluative activities pupils demonstrate progression of technical knowledge and skills.

We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

• Teachers knowledge and understanding of pupils progress

• Assessing children’s understanding of topic linked vocabulary before and after the unit is taught.
• Pupil behaviour and attitudes to learning  demonstrate that they enjoy design and technology lessons and that work has been pitched appropriately
• Pupils can talk about the design, make and evaluate process that they have followed.
• Pupils can talk about the ways their work has evolved and adapted in light of reflections they have made.
• Pupils can identify the user and purpose of their products and the impact that this may have. 
• Pupils talk enthusiastically about their learning with adults.
• Teachers are encouraged to make photographic records of the children’s practical learning and development.
• The subject leader keeps photographic evidence of the children’s work and displays in school. Photographs can also be found on the school website.
• Book looks and opportunities for dialogue between teachers to understand their class’s work.
• Pupils work is documented and evidenced in their books.