DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
INTENT:
The study of Design and Technology promotes a combination of practical skills with an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues, in order to design and make a range of products.The purpose of Design and Technology at St Paul’s Primary School is to prepare and enthuse children for the needs and innovation of a developing world.
All children are challenged and encouraged to become resilient problem-solvers; as individuals and as part of a collaborative team. At St. Paul’s, we use a progressive, knowledge and skills based approach which provides an ambitious, experience rich, connected curriculum; accessible to all pupils in school from EYFS to Year 6.
We introduce new concepts through high quality design works, modelled examples and technical structures, incrementally building on prior knowledge and enabling all children to access experiential learning when developing knowledge and understanding. Observation, plans, prototype techniques, core designs and designers are employed to ensure key concepts and skills are embedded and children can apply these skills confidently. Ultimately, we want pupils to become fluent in the fundamentals of making objects, structures and food; to be able to evaluate and revise work effectively and creatively.
Our approach to Design and TEchnology embraces the National Curriculum aims, and provides guidance to help pupils to become:
Skilled Craftspeople
Building from a strong foundation of building and making play, developed through experimentation, modelled skills and a design rich environment, pupils can select, apply and refine an increasing range of design and technology processes.
Informed Consumers
Beginning with experience-based personal preferences, pupils will apply their understanding of how products are designed and made to make evidence-based decisions about value for money, environmental impact, personal and community costs and benefits when evaluating their choices.
Creative Innovators
Exploration of a wide range of design works will enable pupils to become increasingly aware of purpose, form, style, processes, structures and techniques promoting a broad understanding of the contribution of design to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.
IMPLEMENTATION:
Design and Technology at St Paul’s:
Core Design and Technology skills are taught incrementally, focussing on techniques and innovation including exploring successful designs, recreating mechanisms and designing solutions to challenges.
A range of thoughtfully selected, core designs are used to inspire all children and give them the opportunity to create fluently, evaluate reflectively and apply confidently.
Design and Technology sessions are used to revisit previous learning and ensure knowledge, techniques and skills are embedded before moving onto their next Design and technology lesson.
Children are taught through mixed ability whole class lessons.
Lessons are sequenced and aligned to the whole school curriculum map document to ensure coverage and development of topics, themes and techniques.
Lessons use an observe, experience, imagine, create, refine and reflect approach to guide children through their understanding of Design and Technology processes and include direct teaching of vocabulary, processes and culturally significant designs.
Learning links are offered to develop and review children's learning.
Where possible, links are made with other subjects across our Commando Joe’s RESPECT curriculum.
IMPACT:
As a result of our Design and Technology teaching at St Paul's you will see:
Fluent designers and technicians who have a love for well considered and innovative designs.
Engaged children who are all confident designers, enthused by innovation.
Children who are able to employ a range of strategies to create a varied range of products, talk precisely about what they have seen and apply a range of skilled techniques appropriately to make products that fulfill a brief.
Accurate use of appropriate language by pupils to support and develop design and technology historical and cultural understanding.
Confident children who can all talk about design and technology, their learning and the connections between designers and products.
Lessons that use a variety of carefully designed and selected resources to support learning.
Previously learnt skills used consistently without expertise and flair.
Learning that is tracked and monitored to ensure all children make good progress.