Design and Technology

Design and Technology Curriculum

Statement of Intent

It is our intent that the Design and Technology curriculum at St Richard’s that pupils are challenged to design, make and evaluate products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, using a range of materials, drawing on their creativity and imagination. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw upon disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Through evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. In this subject pupils learn how to take risks and become resourceful, innovative and enterprising.

In Key Stage 1, children begin to understand the process by which things are designed. Through exploring a range of existing products, children will have a go at designing simple products to satisfy a basic brief. They will think about what tools, equipment, ingredients or objects they might need. Using their design, children will make their product and then evaluate it based on its suitability.

In Key Stage 2, through evaluating existing products and real life contexts, children will begin to produce more complicated products based on more complicated briefs. They will develop the skills of using a range of tools and equipment, using a wider range of materials and components. They will evaluate their final products against a range of different criteria such as suitability and appearance.

Statement of Implementation

In order to inspire design, creativity, curiosity, imagination, technical and life skills, we regard Design and Technology (DT) highly at our school. We value DT as a vital role within children’s development and learning and we endeavour to provide rich experiences, to enthuse the children. As part of our broad and balanced curriculum, DT encompasses many of our subjects within school, such as science, art and computing. Our bespoke curriculum and planning enables cross curricular links between topics that are being studied within classes, allowing children to make links between their learning. The progression of skills document has been designed to ensure that all skills and knowledge are being taught at an age appropriate level, progressing from one year group to another. Our bespoke curriculum of DT will follow the design, make and evaluate cycle, which is designed to show progression within a range of skills, with each stage being rooted in technical knowledge. The design process will be inspired by real life and/or relevant contexts, giving meaning to the learning. Children will evaluate existing products to give them ideas for their own designs. While making, the children will be given a choice from a range of tools and materials. In the evaluation process, the children will evaluate their own products against the design criteria. Evidence of the children’s successes will be in topic books and celebrated on displays. The work will show clear progression across the year groups and key stages.

Aims

The national curriculum for design and technology aims to ensure that all pupils:

Pupils in Key Stage 1 are taught to:

Design: Design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria; Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, templates, mock-ups and, where appropriate, information and communication technology.

Make: Select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks; Select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their characteristics.

Evaluate: Explore and evaluate a range of existing products; Evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria.

Cooking and nutrition: Use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes; Understand where food comes from.

Pupils in Key Stage 2 are taught to:

Design: Use research and develop design criteria 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, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design.

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 products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work; 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 [for example, gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages]; Understand and use electrical systems in their products [for example, series circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors]; Apply their understanding of computing to program, monitor and control their products.

Cooking and nutrition: Understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet; Prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques; Understand seasonality, and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.