Design & Technology
At Waingroves Primary School we intend to build a Design and Technology curriculum to support children in becoming confident, inventive, creative and collaborative designers. Meeting the requirements of the EYFS and National Curriculum, where learning opportunities are planned by teachers to enable children to produce functional, innovative and exciting products, individually and within a team.
Children take part in two dedicated days every term designing, making and evaluating a final product.
Designing, making and evaluating are key areas children will explore in Design Technology, through which they will develop their problem solving, resilience and perseverance – important life skills which will set them up for their future. Beginning from their brilliant start in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) up until they leave our school, we intend to inspire children to have a love of Design Technology that will continue throughout their education and future lives.
As a practical, hands-on subject, Design Technology links brilliantly with Mathematics, Science, Computing and Art and Design, providing children the opportunity to apply their knowledge of these subjects to purposeful and imaginative projects.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), children begin to develop important skills needed to become confident, imaginative and capable designers.
Children will:
- Explore different media and materials: they will have the opportunity to explore and construct using a variety of different materials, tools and equipment with an intended purpose.
- Be imaginative: children will explore a range of products, materials and ideas through role play and exciting projects linked to English and Mathematics.
- Make links with ‘The World’ and ‘Technology’: children will explore how things work and be encouraged to develop their questioning skills, also building links with Computing and programming.
Within KS1 and KS2 each term, children are given the opportunity to explore an area of Design Technology linked to:
Food and Nutrition, Mechanisms, Textiles and Materials and Components.
Children will build on existing skills from previous topics and learn new skills through a range of exciting and challenging activities.
Within each Design and Technology topic, children will participate in:
- Investigative Activities: children will explore how existing products work and how they have been made, linked to significant inventors.
- Focused Tasks: Children will have the opportunity to learn new skills and how to operate equipment safely and accurately.
- Design Work: Children will generate their own ideas linked to Design Briefs and create working drawings to support their making activities.
- Making Activities: Children will apply their skills to create an innovative and functional product, adapting their designs when challenges arise.
- Evaluative Activities: Children will have the opportunity throughout their project to evaluate their own work and the work of others, drawing on new ideas and adapting their working to create the best product they possibly can.
Within EYFS, KS1 and KS2, children will also participate in at least one topic linked to Food and Nutrition each year. Through this topic, children will: • Understand how to maintain a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle.
- Develop knowledge of where food comes from and how it is made.
- Explore recipes and ingredients, adapting these to allow for creativity.
- Learn key cooking techniques and skills that can be applied to other recipes.
- Create and evaluate a healthy and delicious product.
All Design Technology lessons are designed to be inclusive, accessible and enjoyable for all the children who attend our school.
Through Design Technology at Waingroves Primary School, children are:
- Collaborative and responsive: children work with and alongside others well to design and make functional products, understanding the role of listening, evaluating and compromising.
- Confident, reflective, determined designers: children can manage risks and create ambitious, high-quality products that they are proud of.
- Motivated, enthusiastic and eager to learn: children enjoy the challenge and creativity of Design Technology and show confidence in learning and applying new skills and techniques.
- Knowledgeable and competent: children leave our school able to apply the skills, expertise and knowledge learned within an increasingly, technological world.
Assessment of children's learning
Each child at Waingroves Primary School take part in two dedicated teaching days for Design Technology every term. Every class teacher completes regular assessments of children's understanding, knowledge and skills throughout the DT lessons.
This assessment is then used to inform differentiation, support and the appropriate level challenge required by the children in every class in our school.
