Design Technology
Intent
Our Design Technology curriculum ensures that children develop the knowledge and skills to creatively design and make products that solve real and relevant problems, considering their own needs and the needs of others. We provide our children with opportunities to develop and use a range of practical skills that prepare them for future learning, adult life and a constantly changing society, increasingly dependent on technology. Children follow the cycle of design, make and evaluate in a variety of different contexts. Throughout this, we foster the belief that making mistakes is a valuable part of the design process and integral to learning.
“Design and technology should be the subject where mathematical brainboxes and science whizzkids turn their bright ideas into useful products” (James Dyson, British Inventor).
Implementation
The design technology curriculum, including food technology, aims to reflect the growing importance of this subject in the children’s everyday and future lives, including living a healthy lifestyle. Design Technology is about practical problem-solving and we aim for the development of skills such as raising questions, proposing tasks to answer questions, selecting tools and materials, manipulating and handling tools and material, observing and investigating and expressing findings verbally or in written or diagrammatic form. Through the analysis of existing designs and the planning, making and reviewing of their own, we aim to foster an interest in how things work and an appreciation of design in both its functional and artistic aspects.
Children explore and use a variety of media and materials through a combination of child initiated and adult directed activities. They have the opportunities to learn to use different media and materials to express their own ideas, see what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about form, function and purpose, make plans and construct with a purpose in mind using a variety of resources, develop skills to use simple tools and techniques appropriately, effectively and safely, select appropriate resources for a product and adapt their work where necessary and cook and prepare food adhering to good health and hygiene routines. We plan design and technology lessons so that they build upon prior learning of the children. We give children of all abilities the opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding and ensuring progressive challenge, breadth and depth to their design and making.
Our planning takes into account:
- Clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum. The Design Technology National Curriculum and EYFS is planned for and covered in full within the EYFS, KS1 and KS2 school curriculum. Whilst the EYFS and National Curriculum forms the foundation of our curriculum, we make sure that children learn additional skills, knowledge and understanding and enhance our curriculum as and when necessary.
- Delivery of design and technology projects with a clear structure.
- A range of skills will be taught ensuring that children are aware of health and safety issues related to the tasks undertaken
- Clear and appropriate cross curricular links to underpin learning in multi areas across the curriculum giving the children opportunities to learn life skills and apply skills to ‘hands on’ situations in a purposeful context.
- Independent learning: children are asked to solve problems and develop their learning independently. This allows the children to have ownership over their curriculum and lead their own learning in Design Technology.
- Collaborative learning: In design and technology children may well be asked to work as part of a team learning to support and help one another towards a challenging, yet rewarding goal.
Impact
Children have clear enjoyment and confidence in design and technology that they then apply to other areas of the curriculum. They understand Design Technology, demonstrating this knowledge when using tools or skills in other areas of the curriculum and in opportunities out of school. The large majority of children achieve age related expectations in Design Technology. As designers children develop skills and attributes they can use beyond school and into adulthood.
How you can help your child at home
Partnerships with parents and carers is an important part of Drighlington Primary School. Working closely with parents enables us to ensure parents feel confident that their child is safe, well looked and is receiving a high quality education during their school hours. The links below offer a range of resources that may also be useful to families.
https://www.stem.org.uk/primary-dt-resources
https://www.teachit.co.uk/primary/design-and-technology
Places to visit
Paint your own pots https://www.craftyowlspottery.com/
Fun activities https://www.thecreationstation.co.uk/
Further support and useful weblinks
Early Years Development Matters
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum
HowStuffWorks websiteHowstuffworks is a great website to encourage questioning, which is recommended to use with an adult. They post relevant articles which you can discuss with your child.
Lego KidsLego! You might not expect it, but Lego is a great way to encourage designing for a purpose and evaluating their design. This site has lots of fun activities online and challenges for you to try at home.
TopMarks design gamesThis is a collection of games and activities for design and technology.
FunkidsliveFunkidslive is a great website for kids! It has a kids radio station and this page has some great articles designed to stimulate questions.