Intent

Our D&T curriculum helps our pupils to appreciate every-day products and inventions in our modern world through observations, asking questions and researching. Children will understand the process of creating a new product as they design, make and evaluate their own products with consideration of the intended user and purpose of their product. Children will develop technical skills through focused tasks where they investigate mechanisms, materials and components needed for their product.  

By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils will have made a wide range of products for different purposes and contexts using a design, make and evaluate process. Children will understand how to apply their technical knowledge and justify their design decisions.

Our aim is for children to develop pride and enjoyment in their abilities as innovators and designers in creating functional products with the skills to communicate, collaborate, persevere, self-reflect and solve problems.

Implementation – How is the curriculum being delivered?

We use ‘Projects on a page’, which was developed by The Design and Technology Association alongside the National Curriculum to plan our curriculum to meet the national curriculum programme of study for Design and Technology and to achieve good practice in D&T.

At the heart of this scheme is the designing and making process which ensures children design, make and evaluate products using the wide range of materials and components as outlined in the statutory requirements in the National Curriculum. The project planners enable teachers to plan a unit with the needs of their class in mind through creative and motivating projects within a range of contexts.

The project planners are allocated to the year groups as followed:

At KS1, this includes mechanisms, structures, food and textiles

Year 1  - Freestanding Structure, Wheels and Axles, Preparation of Fruit and Vegetables

Year 2  - Sliders and Levers, Templates and Joining Techniques, Preparation of Fruit and Vegetables

At KS2 , this includes mechanical systems, electrical systems, structures, food and textiles

Year 3 -  Levers and Linkages, 2D shape to 3D product, Shell Structures, Healthy and Varied Diet

Year 4  - Simple Circuits and Switches, Shell Structures with CAD, Pneumatics, Simple Programming and Control, Healthy and Varied Diet

Year 5 – Frame and Structures, Pulleys or Gears, Using Computer-aided Design in Textiles, Combining different Fabric Styles, Celebrating culture and seasonality

Year 6 – Electrical Systems (Monitoring and Control), Electrical Systems (More Complex Switches), Mechanical Systems (Cams), Celebrating culture and seasonality

The project planners can be taught in any order and can be matched with topics or related learning in other subjects. With 21 project planners in total the scheme is developed so that children develop the necessary prior learning in KS1 for projects in KS2, as well as mapping opportunities for cross curricular links between D&T and other subjects. Each planner details the prior knowledge children need to access the project and also supports teaching staff by providing instant CPD in the form of tips and techniques, visual aids of sketches and diagrams, glossary and links to resources. The Y1/2 planner identifies what children should have learnt in EYFS before carrying out the project. EYFS will follow the statutory framework to deliver a significant proportion of high quality D&T experiences and activities within the Expressive Arts and Design ELG as well as opportunities within the remaining six ELG of Communication and Language, Physical Development, Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Literacy, Mathematics and Understanding the World.

Impact - What difference is the curriculum making?

Our Design and Technology curriculum teaches essential skills to be participate successfully in the increasingly technological world. It will help them to become aware of products for different users, how different mechanisms, processes, materials can be used, test out ideas and evaluate products, develop imagination and creativity and understand the principles of nutrition to be able to cook.

Design and Technology will promote the pupil’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development by enabling children to take risks, be resourceful, innovative and express themselves through their own design decisions. They will research past and present products in the world and develop an understand of the impact of design on modern life.

Design and Technology will promote British Values by ensuring children respect each other through constructive criticism.

Design and Technology will help pupils develop a Growth Mindset through perseverance and critical thinking when developing a product whilst problem solving and communicating with others.