Design and Technology (DT)

Intent

The aim of Design and Technology teaching here at Christ Church CE Primary School is to inspire pupils to be creative and innovative thinkers who have an appreciation for the product design cycle through ideation, creation, and evaluation.

We want our pupils to develop the confidence to take risks, through drafting design concepts, modelling and testing and to be reflective learners who evaluate their own work and the work of others. We want to allow children to aspire to be more, through creating opportunities for them in the wider world.

Through the DT curriculum, children should be inspired by engineers, designers, chefs and architects to enable them to create a range of structures, mechanisms, textiles, electrical systems and food products with a real-life purpose.

The objectives of teaching Design and Technology in our school are:

  • To develop imaginative thinking in children and to enable them to talk about what they like and dislike when designing and making;
  • To enable children to talk about how things work and to draw, model and write about their ideas;
  • To encourage children to select appropriate tools and techniques for making a product, whilst following safe procedures;
  • To encourage children to use the correct vocabulary and terminology when designing, making and evaluating their products;
  • To explore attitudes towards the ‘made’ world and how we live and work within it;
  • To develop an understanding of technological processes, products and their manufacture, as well as their contribution to our society;
  • To foster enjoyment, satisfaction and purpose in designing and making.

Implementation

EYFS

The most relevant statements for Design and Technology are taken from the following areas of :

  • Physical Development
  • Expressive Arts and Design
  • Communication and Language

Key Stages 1 and 2

The teaching of Design and Technology at Key Stage 1 and 2 follows the National Curriculum and is taught in discrete half termly topics. At each stage of a pupil’s Design and Technology education, they will build upon their prior learning, recalling the knowledge and skills taught previously. Links to other curriculum areas are made where it will enhance the learning.

Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils should be taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. They should work in a range of relevant contexts [for example, the home and school, gardens and playgrounds, the local community, industry and the wider community, as well as leisure, culture and enterprise for Key Stage 2 pupils].

Cooking and Nutrition

As part of their work with food, pupils should be taught how to cook and 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 in later life.

Enrichment

We aim to enrich our pupils’ lives by offering a variety of experiences (, educational visits, visiting speakers, and workshops). In addition, we seek to enhance our pupils’ learning through developing positive, two-way relationships with our local community.

Inclusion

At our school we teach Design and Technology to all children, whatever their ability and individual need. This is in accordance with the school’s curriculum policy of providing a broad, balanced and inclusive education to all children. Through our Design and Technology teaching we provide learning opportunities that enable all pupils to make good progress. We strive hard to meet the needs of those pupils with special educational needs, those with disabilities, those with special gifts and talents, new arrivals and those learning English as an additional language, and we take all reasonable steps to achieve this. Differentiated guidance is available for every lesson to ensure that lessons can be accessed and enjoyed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are available when required.

Impact

Assessment

Our Art and design curriculum is designed in such a way that children are involved in the evaluation, dialogue and decision making about the quality of their outcomes and the improvements they need to make.

By taking part in regular discussions and decision-making processes, children will not only know facts and key information about art, but they will be able to talk confidently about their own learning journey, have higher metacognitive skills, and have a growing understanding of how to improve.