Design Technology

Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art.

Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.

Food plays an important role with the Design and technology curriculum. Children are taught to identify where food comes from, how seasons affect produce available and are encouraged to grow their own fruit and vegetables. We look forward to being able to use our school garden and recently planted orchard to give children valuable first hand experience.

Weyford Nursery and Primary Academy

DT Curriculum Statement

Intent

Our DT curriculum is designed to give children the opportunity to explore their creativity through designing and making. Children are taught to combine their practical skills with knowledge in order to create a product for a particular purpose. Skills are taught progressively throughout the years to ensure the children can develop their expertise from previous projects, allowing them to adapt and improve their practise: a key skill needed across the curriculum and as they go through life. DT also allows the children to apply knowledge learned in other subject, particularly Maths, Science and Art.

Implementation

The teaching and implementation of the Design and Technology curriculum at Weyford Nursery and Primary School is broadly based on the National Curriculum and is shaped by our ethos of learning through first-hand experiences. All units are structured to follow the ‘design, make and evaluate’ cycle, with each stage embedded with technical knowledge and vocabulary. This then allows the planning to engage the children with real life, relevant contexts to give meaning to their learning. While constructing, the children are given a range of tools to choose from and are taught to evaluate which are the most appropriate for the specific task and, most importantly, how to use each tool safely.

The key skills we teach the children are:

• Sewing and textiles
• Cooking and nutrition
• Electrical and mechanical components
• Using materials

Impact

Our children will have access to a broad and balanced Design and Technology curriculum to gain a variety of skills and experience that they can apply accurately when designing and making a product for a particular purpose. They will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of existing products to inform the design of functional and innovative products. Children can selet and use a wide range of tools, materials and components to perform practical tasks accurately and safely.