Design and Technology

‘Good design is like a refrigerator—when it works, no one notices, but when it doesn’t, it sure stinks.’

Irene Au

Intent

At Dringhouses Primary School we believe that pupils should be able to design and make products safely by applying knowledge and skills from the programme of study for technology and where appropriate, from other subjects, particularly art, science, computing and maths.

Activities in this subject give children the opportunity to develop the key skills of:

  • Problem-solving, communication, improving their own learning and performance and working with others
  • The importance of recycling and the environmental impact of products and materials.

All pupils are given access to the full design and technology curriculum, regardless of gender, race, ability, cultural or socio-economic background.

Implementation

EYFS

  • Pupils are introduced to: simple products, the design processes including investigating, planning, designing and evaluating
  • Pupils are encouraged to design, create and explore in the different areas of provision both inside and out, and are not exclusive to the art and craft table
  • Provision areas are enhanced with creating, making and building tools and equipment so pupils have free choice to explore and make links in their learning
  • Children have one or two directed ‘DT’ lessons per week. This includes longer directed sessions including cooking and nutrition, where the basic skills, knowledge and processes are introduced and explored (either discrete or linked to a learning project)

KS1 and KS2

  • Pupils have a DT lesson each week or in a block to allow time to complete an activity/process
  • Design Technology is often linked to the half termly (termly in KS2) learning project and through cross curriculum links, but discrete lessons are taught where appropriate
  • Planning is put into the Staff Shared Drive along with any resources (teaching slides, suggested websites) within the KS1 planning folder. In KS2 planning is split into Lower and Upper KS to ensure progress
  • Planning is shared within the key stage and delivered by KS1/KS2 teachers.
  • Pupils develop a range of knowledge, skills and processes over the year including: critiquing existing products, planning, designing, making and evaluating their own design ideas (the design process) cooking and nutrition, sewing, electronics (KS2), all of which build on the work done in EYFS for KS1, and on the work done in KS1 for lower KS2, and in LKS2 for UKS2

Our Design Technology co-ordinator is India Howarth

Please contact her through the School Office for further information.

 

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