Design & Technology
Our expert, who ensures Design & Technology strategies are linked across the school-age groups Miss Dobbins.
Overview
Using their creativity and imagination, children get the chance to design and make products for a real purpose and within a variety of different contexts. They do this through the coverage of three different design and technology units per year. Through the teaching of design and technology, children are taught to be independent learners through selecting and using appropriate tools safely and effectively to achieve their desired outcome. We aim to, wherever possible, link work to other curriculum areas such as, mathematics, science, computing and art. Through design and technology children are given the opportunities to reflect on their own work and that of others and to evaluate past and present designs and technologies.
In the Foundation Stage we work on children exploring and becoming independent learners and showing them what this looks like. We do this through the expressive art and design strand of the early year’s curriculum. Through provision we help children to be creative and reflective and we promote the attitude of curiosity and questioning. We encourage them to choose their own media, materials and resources to engage in open-ended activities and this helps them to develop confidence in their own ideas. Using and building upon the children’s interests and experiences helps them to create fantastic inventions individually or collaboratively as a team. We heavily support children’s learning through asking open ended questions to move their learning on.
In KS1, we start to introduce our project-based approach to design and technology over three units per year. Children take part in a selection of practical and creative activities, where they are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to go through the process to design and make a product. In KS2, we continue to build on the project-based approach and further develop the experiences the children have had in KS1 and the Foundation Stage. We start to pose more challenging questions that help children to become more reflective of their own work and to help them refine their processes. Also in KS2, we encourage children to think beyond the classroom and become inquisitive to the wider concepts of the world around them and industry.
Across all the year groups, we want children to learn the following skills and knowledge-based concepts:
- Designing
- Making
- Evaluating
- Technical Knowledge
- Cooking and nutrition
Course Outline
Through Design & Technology at Carlton, the children will safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.
Intent
At Carlton Primary, we understand the importance of Design Technology and the importance of stimulating imagination and creativity. We aim to embed key life skills such as: building and making alongside developing design skills, learning about electronics, engineering, robotics, materials, food and textile technology.
It is a practical subject that encourages children to think creatively to solve problems in various contexts both as individuals and when working collaboratively as members of a team. We deliver a range of innovative and practical activities that encourage our pupils to express creativity and imagination to design and create products in aesthetically pleasing ways. These problems are presented through specific design-criteria that evoke the need for our pupils to consider both their own as well as others’ needs, wants and values. Opportunities to evaluate and reflect upon both their own work and work of peers are also given to encourage and develop their critical thinking and resilience.
From EYFS to Year 6, we aim to take our pupils on a progressive journey, which will see them, overtime develop a range of subject-specific skills that they will take into our three-phased approach to the teaching of DT: designing, making and evaluating. This approach is essential to enable our pupils to build upon their skills as they progress through school, leaving us in year 6 with a love for DT.
Implementation
At Carlton Primary School our pupils use creativity and imagination to design and make products for a purpose. Design and technology develops children’s skills and knowledge in design, structures, mechanisms and a range of materials, including wood, card, textiles and food. At Carlton Primary School Design Technology is taught through our stimulating and exciting lessons at where the children follow the process of design, make and evaluate.
DT booklets are used to document and support children’s learning. Children will experience an immersion lesson where they will be inspired by something they will later create.
Children will then enter a process where they will:
- Investigate/carry out research around the product they will be creating,
- They will then design their product, considering which materials and joining techniques they will use,
- They will create their product following the plan carefully.
- Finally they will evaluate their product and consider what worked well and what they would change
There will be 3 DT projects in each year group every year.
Impact
Design technology lessons at Carlton Primary will encourage children to use their imagination and give them the freedom to be creative. Our curriculum will develop children who are confident in DT and understand the importance of the 3-step plan; create and evaluate model. DT will encourage deeper thinking and problem solving. It will develop the creative, technical and practical skills needed to perform tasks with confidence, help children understand the importance of nutrition and key cooking skills and help them be reflective and evaluate their own work and the work of others. Our curriculum will expose children to a range of successful people in design and technology that children can make links with. Children will have both successes and failures when designing and creating projects and understand why something worked or what they could have done differently. It will give children opportunities to work alone and as part of a team. Children will learn about technicians relevant to their project. We hope children will develop a love for the way products and designed and created and be inspired by the lessons and opportunities delivered.
dt progression of skills at carlton.pdf