Design Technology

Intent

At Park Mead Primary School, we value Design Technology as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. We ensure that our Design and Technology curriculum is inspiring and engaging for all children covering the key areas of Design Technology: structures, textiles, mechanisms, cooking and nutrition and electronics (Key Stage 2). Our high-quality Design and Technology education engages, inspires and challenges pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent, create and evaluate their own projects which they have designed for a given purpose. As pupils progress, are able to think critically about their work and that of and others, developing a more rigorous understanding of the different elements of design technology. Design and Technology is taught in line with our school intent to learn with kindness, curiosity and determination.

Implementation

When delivering the Design Technology curriculum at Park Mead Primary School, there is a real focus on teaching the children new skills and techniques. To ensure the lessons provide the children with a real sense of purpose, sessions and activities relate directly to the class topic, where appropriate. These cross-curricular links help immerse the children in their Design Technology projects and ensure they are memorable. Our curriculum is designed carefully and coherently to ensure that skills and techniques are built upon progressively across the phases.

In the EYFS, we have a child-initiated approach to learning which allows art to flourish across all the areas in the classroom. In the EYFS classroom, design plays a big role in our continuous provision. Children are encouraged to explore design through their own interests and they have access to a craft station where they can select their own materials and tools at any time. Focus activities include introductions to new skills and materials that are then available in the children’s independent learning activities.

A clear and comprehensive scheme of work – Kapow Primary – is used to ensure coverage in line with the National Curriculum. Delivery of design and technology projects have a clear structure, with each year group undertaking a structure topic, a healthy diet topic, textiles topic and mechanism topic in Key Stage 1. In Key Stage 2, electrical systems and digital world topics are added (each year group covers each topic on at least 3 occasions as they move through Key Stage 2). Children are taught to follow the design process where each project follows: research, design, make and evaluate. A range of skills will be taught ensuring that children are aware of health and safety issues related to the tasks. Children are asked to solve problems and develop their learning independently allowing them to have ownership over their projects.

On other occasions, children work as part of a team learning to support and help one another towards a challenging, yet rewarding goal. At the end of each project, children self-evaluate their work, referring to the design brief they are given or have developed themselves.

Impact
Children will have clear enjoyment and confidence in Design and Technology that they will then apply to other areas of the curriculum. Through carefully planned and implemented learning activities, the pupils develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world. Children will be confident to talk about their products, reflect on their designs and adapt them. As designers, children will gain a firm foundation of knowledge and skills to see them equipped to take on further learning in secondary school and into adulthood.