Design and Technology
Intent
At Walderslade Primary School, we are committed to providing all children with learning opportunities to engage in design and technology. We believe design and technology is about designing and making products for s specific user and purpose. It involves children in learning about the world we live in and developing a wide range of knowledge and skills through designing and making. It helps children to think through problems creatively, about how to organise themselves and how to use knowledge and skills to bring about change and to shape the environment. Through design and technology, children become discriminating and informed users of products and become innovators.
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
Implementation
In the EYFS daily design and technology activities are planned; some initiated by children and some led by adults. Children in their designing and making will apply knowledge and skills of textiles, food, mechanisms, mechanical systems and structures. Electrical systems are taught in KS2. All design, make and evaluate assignments provide learning opportunities for developing creativity through designing skills such as generating, exploring, modifying ideas through drawing, and modelling with materials. All class teachers will have responsibility for planning and teaching D&T to their classes.
We aim to provide a learning environment where children of all abilities develop their skills and knowledge; where children feel secure and creative risk-taking and problem solving is encouraged and children’s design ideas and suggestions are valued. Children should develop an understanding of the design and made world through first-hand experience. Wherever possible, children are given opportunities to visit local museums, shops and restaurants and meet with designers, engineers,
chefs, architects and students from college or secondary schools. We have “Knowledge Organisers” which are the “go-to” document outlining the essential knowledge that the teachers will be covering across a unit of work. They will be shared with pupils, parents and carers – with the aim that everyone knows exactly what is being taught, and what the children need to learn.
Whole School Progression Map - Design and Technology
Whole School Vocabulary Map - Design and Technology
