Design and Technology
All children – regardless of gender, starting point or background – will have the opportunity to engage with a high-quality design technology education. They will be equipped with the knowledge, skills and vocabulary to use creativity and imagination to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems in a variety of contexts. We intend to inspire a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about design technology.
Intent
At Westminster Community Primary School, we intend to build a Design Technology curriculum which develops learning and results in the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Children will know more, remember more and understand more. We intend to design a design technology curriculum with appropriate subject knowledge, skills and understanding as set out in the National Curriculum Design Technology Programmes of study, to fulfil the duties of the NC whereby schools must provide a balanced and broadly-based curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils and prepares them for the opportunities and responsibilities and experiences for later life
Implementation
Clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum. The Design Technology National Curriculum is planned for and covered in full within the school curriculum. Whilst the National Curriculum forms the foundation of our curriculum, we make sure that children learn additional skills, knowledge and understanding and enhance our curriculum as and when necessary. Delivery of design and technology projects with a clear structure. Each year group will undertake a construction topic, a textile topic and a food/drink topic. Delivery showing clear following of the design process where each project fill follow: 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 undertaken. Clear and appropriate cross curricular links to underpin learning in multi areas across the curriculum giving the children opportunities to learn life skills and apply skills to ‘hands on’ situations in a purposeful context. Children will undertake design tasks and use skills from across the curriculum to fully explore the design process evaluating work ensuring that it is of the highest possible quality. Children are also asked to self-evaluate their work. Design Technology focussed displays in every classroom alongside celebrating the outstanding three dimensional creations on display throughout the school. These displays celebrate exceptional practice and exemplify terminology and vocabulary used. Independent learning: In design technology children may well be asked to solve problems and develop their learning independently. This allows the children to have ownership over their curriculum and lead their own learning in Design Technology. Collaborative learning: In design and technology children may well be asked to work as part of a team learning to support and help one another towards a challenging, yet rewarding goal.
Impact
Children will have clear enjoyment and confidence in design and technology that they will then apply to other areas of the curriculum. Children will ultimately know more, remember more and understand more about Design Technology, demonstrating this knowledge when using tools or skills in other areas of the curriculum and in opportunities out of school. The large majority of children will achieve age related expectations in Design Technology. As designers children will develop skills and attributes they can use beyond school and into adulthood. Impact will be constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities.