Subject vision:

“Enjoy failure and learn from it. You can never learn from success.” James Dyson
We believe that Design Technology (DT) encourages inquisition and imagination, and promotes an engagement of children who may not ordinarily enjoy practical, hands-on activities. Design Technology teaches children to be aware of the world around them, and to make rational, economic and ecological based decisions, and to understand how their decisions affect people and the environment.
In lessons, pupils explore different questions that life presents them, and develop skills and attitudes to tackle, investigate and find answers to these questions. Pupils will also work as part of a team to solve problems, and take part in class and group discussion, working through different roles, and taking on board constructive criticism. Children look at different situations around the world and consider ways in which Design and Technology could provide positive contributions and improve the quality of life.
 

Intent:
It our intention that Design and Technology should be fully inclusive to every child. Our curriculum fulfils the requirements of the National Curriculum for DT, ensuring the progressive development of knowledge and skills, and supporting children to learn how to take risks, and become resourceful, innovative and enterprising. Through evaluation of past and present Design and Technology, children will develop a critical understanding of DT’s impact on daily life and the wider world, enabling them to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.

Our curriculum enables children to talk about how things work and to develop technical knowledge, skills and understanding. Children have opportunities to apply this growing body of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design, make and evaluate prototypes and products for a wide range of users. Children learn to select appropriate tools and techniques when making a product, following safe procedures. They develop an understanding of technological processes and products, their manufacture and their contribution to our society. The DT process fosters enjoyment, satisfaction and purpose in designing and making things, and develop resilience when faced with challenges in the designing or making process. Children develop their ability to critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products, and the work of others. They understand how key events and individuals in Design and Technology have helped shape the world. In addition, pupils also learn to understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook. 

We follow a skills-progression curriculum model with knowledge underpinning the application of skills. The 2002 Education Act requires schools to provide a ‘balanced and broadly based curriculum’ which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of children at our schools and prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. The school curriculum is broader than the National Curriculum and our intention is to give children a richer and deeper experience that is not limited by the National Curriculum. 
 

Implementation:
Design and Technology in this school follows a clear and comprehensive scheme of work aligned with the National Curriculum. Over the course of each school year, children will undertake a range of topics including construction, textiles and food/drink. Each topic will follow the same design process - researching, designing, making and evaluating. These topics can be taught in discrete lessons over a series of weeks, or may be delivered as a block of learning over the course of a school day or days.

A range of skills are taught ensuring that children are aware of health and safety issues related to the tasks undertaken. Clear and appropriate cross-curricular links are used to strengthen learning across multiple areas of the school curriculum. Our DT curriculum gives children the opportunity to learn important life skills and apply these to ‘hands on’ situations in purposeful contexts. In design technology, children may well be 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. However, our DT curriculum also provides opportunities for children to work collaboratively, as part of a team, learning to support and help one another towards a challenging, yet rewarding goal and helping to develop key interpersonal skills.
 

Impact:
Through Design and Technology, we prepare our children to take part in the development of tomorrow’s rapidly changing world. We enable children to become creative problem-solvers, both as individuals and as part of a team. Through the study of Design and Technology, children combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues, as well as of functions and industrial practices. This allows them to reflect on and evaluate present and past Design and Technology, its uses and its impact. Our Design and Technology curriculum is high quality, well thought out and provides effective progression. We focus on progression of knowledge and skills as well as progression in the use of discreet vocabulary. 

The impact of our curriculum will be seen when talking to and observing children and by looking at the work they produce. Pupils are able to improvise, adapt and overcome problems. They feel supported and secure in making mistakes and understand there will always be areas for improvement. Pupils combine their designing and making skills with knowledge and understanding in order to design, make, analyse and evaluate products of high quality. They express their own creativity through their designs and are more socially confident to give their opinions. Collaborative skills are honed so they can work effectively with other pupils.