Design Technology

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Intent

At Moorhill Primary School, Design and Technology is an inspiring and practical subject. We want to encourage children to question and investigate the man-made world around them.   We encourage children to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team. We inspire 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.  To help us achieve this goal, we make use of the KAPOW Design and Technology curriculum.  Our children will be taught Design and Technology in a way that ensures progression of skills and knowledge, and over time follows a sequence to build on previous learning.

 

In line with the National Curriculum: Design and Technology programmes of study, we aim to plan inspiring and enriching learning specifically for a purpose by:

-Designing purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria.

-Select from and use a wide range of materials and components.

-Explore and evaluate a range of existing products.

-Build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable.

-All teaching of Design and technology will follow the investigate, design, make and evaluate cycle. There will be evidence of each of these stages.

 

Implementation

 

We follow a broad and balanced Design and Technology curriculum that builds on previous learning and provides both support and challenge for learners. We follow a Combined Art & Design and Design & Technology scheme that ensures and progression of skills and covers all aspects of the Design and Technology curriculum.

All classes will have a scheduled Design and Technology or Art lesson each week.  Design and Technology is covered  each term with  a least 3 project being taught each year. 

Children’s work and pictures of their work will be stored on Showbie for reference and assessment. Each project should show evidence of Investigate, Design, Make and Evaluate. 

Cycle of technical knowledge:

 

Key areas:

Through the Design and Technology Kapow curriculum, children will be inspired to create projects based around Structures, Mechanisms, Electrical Systems, Cooking, Textiles, and the Digital World.  The six key areas are revisited each year, with Electrical systems and Digital world beginning in KS2.

We want to ensure that Design and Technology is embedded in our whole school curriculum and that opportunities for enhancing learning by using design and technology are always taken. 

Oracy in Design and technology:

 

Through our Design and technology curriculum, pupils have opportunities to develop their oracy skills by:

● Presenting their design ideas or products to audiences of different sizes.

● Explaining designs, preferences or final products.

● Role-playing from the point of view of the user.

● Discussing products and design ideas using new vocabulary.

● Collaborating by organising tasks within a group.

● Critiquing others’ designs and products.

● Reflecting on and responding to feedback towards their own designs and products.

● Summarising design ideas.

 

Impact

Our Design & Technology curriculum is well thought out and planned to give children the skills, knowledge and opportunity to be challenged in their thinking and learning and prepare for their next stage of learning and into their future lives.

We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods: Pupil discussions and interviews about their learning and evidence of pupils work, gathered at the end of units.

 

At Moorhill we ensure the children:

• Develop the creative, technical, and practical expertise needed to perform tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
• 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
• 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 design and activities made appropriate to the age and ability of the child

 

At Moorhill we want our children to develop:

The ability to be resilience in design and show self-motivation to improve.

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.

 

Learners with Special Educational Needs

 

At Moorhill, we scaffold and adapt the learning in Design & Technology to enable all learners to succeed.

Learning is adapted through:

- Explicit teaching and modelling.

- Scaffolded resources.

- Provide appropriate resources to enhance learning.

- Opportunities to practise and revise practical skill, before applying skill, to ensure better quality of final product.

- Revisiting of skills within other areas if the curriculum. E.g cutting, joining, evaluating, exploring.

- Peer support. Higher lever learners modelling and supporting others.

- Adult support.

 

Design Technology