D&T
Design and Technology
Intent
Design and Technology encourages children to learn to think and intervene creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team. At Broad Square Primary School we encourage children to use their creativity to design, make and evaluate products in a range of real life contexts. We encourage them at every step to work practically and theoretically to solve problems and overcome barriers, working with resilience and perseverance while building on previous skills. We aim to, wherever possible, link work to other disciplines such as mathematics, computing and art and plan for opportunities to work on STEM projects as part of their research. We aim to expose the children to a range of architects, inventors, designers and engineers from past and present and to encourage the children to reflect on purpose, effectiveness and achievements in order to inspire them to be innovators in the subject.
Implementation
Through a variety of creative and practical activities, we teach the knowledge, understanding, skills and vocabulary needed to engage in the process of designing and making, while encouraging the children to carry out research and focused practical tasks and to learn from their mistakes and from each other.
The children will work on a range of different projects that will include a range of skills and will gain knowledge that can be built and reflected upon as they progress through the school. The projects will encompass a variety of contexts such as industry, enterprise, leisure and the wider community.
Opportunities have been provided where available for staff to attend training and moderation to empower them and improve confidence of skills.
When designing and making, the children are taught to:
Design
• use research and complete a design brief 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, labelled diagrams and prototypes
Make
• select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks (for example, 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 finished products against their design brief and complete an outside evaluation to compare their products whilst considering the views of others to improve their work in the future.
• 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
• understand and use electrical systems in their products
• gain knowledge of a variety of cooking techniques such as chopping, grating and using a heat source.
• practise and use joining and sewing skills when working with textiles.
Key skills and key knowledge for Design and Technology have been mapped across the school to ensure progression between year groups. This also ensures that there is a context for the children’s work in Design and Technology, that they gain an understanding of purpose and build on skills previously learned.
Design and Technology lessons are planned with focused learning objectives and are monitored by the D&T lead. They are taught in each of the three terms as a 2 week block so that children’s learning is focused throughout each unit of work and key vocabulary is embedded. Evaluation of the lessons by the teacher is ongoing throughout the project. Pupil voice is also a key part of our assessment procedure as the children are encouraged to reflect on their learning and communicate how the project has impacted their thinking.
As an inclusive school, we strive to ensure that all pupils are able to access a broad and balanced Design and Technology curriculum offer. Pupils with SEND are supported within lessons to ensure that a ceiling is not put on their learning. This is achieved through regular revisits of the various stages of the projects, over learning of vocabulary and different ways of recording evidence of learning. Where adaptations are necessary, these are planned carefully by the teacher to ensure that each pupil has the same opportunities to explore their creativity and excel at the skills used within each project.
Impact
Children will
• 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 and critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others regarding the standard of finish and its fitness for purpose.
• acquire and secure an improved bank of vocabulary related to the subject and be able to talk in technical terms of the skills and systems integral to their projects.
• understand and apply the principals of nutrition and learn how to cook a variety of dishes.
Children learn how to be resilient, take risks and view their achievements with a sense of pride, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life, in their local community and the wider world.