Statement of Intent

“Design and Technology should be the subject where Mathematical brainboxes and Science whizz kids turn their bright ideas into useful projects.”

– James Dyson

The intent of our DT offer is to provide a curriculum which is accessible to all and that is rich with opportunities for construction, cooking and textiles. As a result, every pupil will;

❖ Develop their creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform every-day tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world

❖ Build and apply skills to design and make high-quality proto-types and products for a wide range of uses.

❖ 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 We aim to provide a rigorous, inspiring, practical DT curriculum supported by cross-curricular links. Projects will build on previous learning and help to form a repertoire of skills, knowledge and understanding.

❖ Explore and understand the school values of Love, Respect and Resilience through their DT work and through the work of others.

Implementation

We teach the National Curriculum and the EYFS framework, supported by a clear skills and knowledge progression. This ensures that skills and knowledge are built on year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children. It is important that the children develop progressive skills of a designer and critique throughout their time at Grove CE primary School and do not just learn about the work of others. Through the following, we aim to provide a rich and broad experience in the study of Design and Technology.

Planning and Lesson

From the long-term overview, teachers will plan a sequence of lessons using knowledge, skills and progression. Teachers aim to provide a cross-curricular approach to develop a deeper understanding and a ‘real life’ scenario to the project. Lessons are planned using a range of technical skills and enquiry which builds on the previous year’s learning. Pupils are encouraged to learn from famous designers and take inspiration from them and the world around them. In developing their design and technology skills, we present projects in the form of a question to spark intrigue.

Enhancements

We ensure that every pupil, regardless of SEN(D) or ability, is able to participate in projects and access the curriculum. The hands-on experiences help pupils to build up their design and technology skills independently rather than simply learning from observation. For example, from a young age we expect our pupils to be safely cutting up wood and food using age appropriate tools with just teacher supervision and modelling.

Assessment: FS Pupils are assessed against the EYFS Framework. Pupils in years 1-6 are assessed against the criteria in our progression and skills document. Pupils are assessed using the following criteria: B=Working well below the age-related expectations; WTS= Working towards the age-related expectations; ARE= Working at age-related expectations and GD= working at greater depth (above the age-related expectations)

Impact

By the time our pupils leave us in Year 6, we aim for them to have;

❖ Gained knowledge of famous designers and critiqued their work

❖ Developed a repertoire of design and technology skills, knowledge and understanding

❖ Gained a solid understanding of nutrition and learnt how to cook for a healthy lifestyle

❖ Learnt to plan, construct and evaluate their own project