Intent: What do we want to teach our children?

To develop imaginative thinking in children and to enable them to talk about what they like and dislike when designing and making.

To enable children to think and talk about how things work, and to draw and model their ideas.

To encourage children to select appropriate tools and techniques to make quality products, whilst following safe procedures.

To use and explore a range of materials, resources and equipment.

To explore attitudes towards the ‘made’ world and how we live and work within it.

To develop an understanding of technological processes, products, their manufacture and their contribution to our society.

To use the internet to explore ideas and already made products.

To understand that evaluation is an integral part of the design process and allows children to adapt and improve their product, this is a key skill, which they need throughout their life

To foster enjoyment, satisfaction and purpose in designing and making things.  

At St Paul’s CE Primary Academy, children receive a design and technology curriculum, which allows them to exercise their creativity through designing and making.  The children are taught to combine their designing and making skills with knowledge and understanding in order to design and make a product. Skills are taught progressively to ensure that all children are able to learn and practice in order to develop as they move through the school.  Evaluation is an integral part of the design process and allows children to adapt and improve their product; this is a key skill, which they need throughout their life.  D&T allows children to apply the knowledge and skills learned in other subjects, particularly Mathematics, Science and Art. Children’s interests are captured through theme learning, ensuring that links are made in a cross-curricular way, giving children motivation and meaning for their learning.  Children will learn basic cooking skills. 

Implementation: What does this look like?

Our whole curriculum is shaped by our school vision which aims to enable all children, regardless of background, ability, additional needs, to flourish to become the very best version of themselves they can possibly be.  We teach the National Curriculum, 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.  All teaching of DT should follow the design, make and evaluate cycle. Each stage should be rooted in technical knowledge.  The design process should be rooted in real life, relevant contexts to give meaning to learning. While making, children should be given choice and a range of tools to choose freely from. To evaluate, children should be able to evaluate their own products against a design criteria. Each of these steps should be rooted in technical knowledge and vocabulary. DT should be taught to a high standard, where each of the stages should be given equal weight.  The key skills we teach the children are: 

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

Through a flexible curriculum, the school uses a variety of teaching and learning styles in design and technology lessons. The principal aim is to develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding in the subject. Teachers ensure that children apply their knowledge and understanding when developing ideas, during planning and making products and when evaluating them. This is done through a mixture of whole-class teaching and individual or group activities. Within lessons, children are given the opportunity both to work on their own and to collaborate with others, listening to other children’s ideas and treating these with respect. Children critically evaluate existing products, their own work and that of others. They have the opportunity to use a wide range of materials and resources, including ICT.

Impact What will the outcomes be?

 An excellent attitude to learning and independent working.

The ability to use time efficiently and work constructively and productively with others.

The ability to carry out thorough research, show initiative and ask questions to develop an exceptionally detailed knowledge of users’ needs.

The ability to act as responsible designers and makers, working ethically, using finite materials carefully and working safely.

A thorough knowledge of which tools, equipment and materials to use to make their products.

The ability to apply mathematical knowledge and skills accurately.

The ability to manage risks exceptionally well to manufacture products safely and hygienically.

A passion for the subject.