Design and Technology Subject Leader: Miss S Master
Design & Technology prepares pupils to deal with the ever-changing world. We aim to combine practical skills with knowledge and understanding; to provide opportunities for children to develop their capability through a variety of life skills including cooking, nutrition, design and making.
Intent
Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subjects. Design and Technology encourage children to learn to think and intervene creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team. At Halling Primary School, we encourage children to use their creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. We aim to, wherever possible, link work to other disciplines such as mathematics, science, the humanities, computing and art. The children are also given opportunities to reflect upon and evaluate past and present design technology, its uses and its effectiveness and are encouraged to become innovators and risk-takers.
Implementation
Through a variety of creative and practical activities, we teach the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. The children work in a range of relevant contexts (for example home, school, leisure, culture, industry and the wider environment).
When designing and making, the children are taught to:
Design: Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, and aimed at particular individuals or groups generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design
Make: Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks (for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing) accurately select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities
Evaluate: Investigate and analyse a range of existing products evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work and understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world
Technical knowledge: Apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures understand and use mechanical systems in their products understand and use electrical systems in their products apply their understanding of computing to program, monitor and control their products
Key skills and key knowledge for DT have been mapped across the school to ensure progression between year groups. This also ensures that there is a context for the children’s work in Design and Technology; that they learn about real-life structures and the purpose of specific examples, as well as develop their skills throughout the programme of study. Design and technology lessons are also taught as a mixture of block work (so that children’s learning is focused throughout each unit of work.) and weekly lessons.
Impact
We ensure the children develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
Pupils will build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users and critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
They will understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook. Children will design and make a range of products. A good quality finish will be expected in all designs and activities made appropriate to the age and ability of the child
Children 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.
Design and Technology in Each Stage
Children learn design technology in EYFS under the umbrella of ‘Understanding the World’. They work with a range of materials and make judgements over suitability for construction, and learn to use a range of tools safely. Children describe how products are made up of different parts, and learn to draw and explain their designs, selecting the materials they would use to make a product. Children look at different ways that technology is applied to the world around us, discussing how things work and how things are made.
In Year 1 the children will begin to select different tools and materials for tasks and will start to explain why they have chosen them. Children will start to learn in greater depth how to be safe using tools. The children will start to explore joining different materials using tape and glue and will start to build simple structures based on their designs. The children will be encouraged to evaluate their own and others’ work and discuss the next steps to improve their work. The children will have the opportunity to explore and use wheels, axles, levers and sliders to make simple mechanisms. In Food Technology, the children will start to learn about a healthy and balanced diet and explore where different foods come from.
In Year 2 the children will continue to develop upon the skills learnt in year 1 and will start to use tools to cut and join using glue, staples, tape and sewing. The children will model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, and mock-ups and will start to use ICT. They will continue to use wheels, axles, levers and sliders and will evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria. They will explore how to make structures they build stronger, stiffer and more stable. The children will plan what to do next, based on their experiences of working with materials and components and will describe the similarities and differences between their own and others’ work. In Food Technology, the children will recognise the importance of a variety of food in our diet and will have the opportunity to prepare, chop and peel and range of ingredients.
Children will plan tools and materials for a task and explain why they are best. The children will be encouraged to use a range of methods to find solutions to design problems and use a range of tools for accuracy. The children will now start to explore gears, pulleys, cams and linkages as well as continue to look at wheels, axles and sliders; beginning to use a glue gun 1:1 with an adult to join different materials. The children will make detailed and realistic plans that are labelled and meet a range of needs to fit a selected purpose. The plans will also include the different processes required and the equipment and materials needed. The children will evaluate existing products and explore their purpose. The children will start to look at different designers and explore how their products have helped people. The children will incorporate ICT into their planning. The children will research different techniques to help support their product designs.
In Food Technology, the children will continue to explore a balanced diet and will closely follow health and safety rules when cooking and will start to discuss their importance. They will start to look at different food from around the world. Children will measure and weigh ingredients to prepare and cook a range of savoury dishes. The children will learn how different ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.
Design and Technology Progression
SEND Information
Our SEND and disadvantaged pupils are given the necessary support in class to fully access the supported DT curriculum. Learning is adapted where necessary to support SEND/EAL pupils to give equal opportunities for all to be confident in approaching any problems faced. Interventions, support and challenges are constantly revised and adapted to ensure all children are supported in achieving learning. The above areas are robustly and continuously monitored to ensure any gaps in learning are addressed.
Design and Technology Extra Resources
For remote learning, please visit our remote learning page or contact our Head of DT for more information.