Design and Technology

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‘Design is not just what is looks like and feels like. Design is how it words.’-

Steve Jobs

Design Technology Curriculum Design Statement

Curriculum Intent

At Richard Wakefield, we aim to encourage children to think, reason and learn creatively both individually and as part of a team. During their design journey, we hope to expose the children to a range of opportunities where can they solve a problem through their design, considering the needs of the target audience and the processes that a product must go through before production. In order to give a balanced and informed view, the children will also be given the chance to analyse past and present designs, considering use and effectiveness as well as taking inspiration to help them in their own creative endeavours as they become innovators in their own way.  The curriculum will give them a wide base of knowledge and skills which is acquired, when possible, through cross curricular projects that help them to connect their maths, science, art and computing. All children should be given the chance to express their original thoughts as part of the design process. 

Curriculum Implementation

The national curriculum provides us with the skeleton with which we then create our own schemes of work. Within our trust, we have created our own skills progression map which is consistent across the De Ferrers Trust and helps us to ensure consistency across the years as well as schools. This enables teachers to keep track of which skills have previously been covered but also helps them to plan for future work which is usually cross curricular, linking to our current topics in that year. By using these skills grids effectively and also including ideas in knowledge organisers, it allows for a wider coverage of skills for the year as well as repetition and development of core skills.  

The progression of skills can be seen through the children’s books as most activities are included in their books (photos, evaluations and designs). Book trawls are carried out in the spring term and staff are asked to highlight and annotate the skills grids at intervals throughout the year.  Opportunities within the wider school context are also encouraged. 

Typically, problems are posed to children in a context they are familiar with, allowing them to generate ideas, experiment, refine, create and then evaluate the success whilst being exposed to design terminology.

When designing and making throughout KS1 and KS2, the children are taught to: 

Design 

  • design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria 

  • generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, templates, mock-ups and, where appropriate, information and communication technology 

Make 

  • select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing] 

  • select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their characteristics

 Evaluate 

  • explore and evaluate a range of existing products 

  • evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria 

Technical knowledge 

  • build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable 

  • explore and use mechanisms [for example, levers, sliders, wheels and axles], in their products

Curriculum Impact

As a result of our design curriculum, children should be able to show development in the expected skills for their age cohort and be able to acquire skills that they apply in their future lives. They will have a clear understanding of the processes needed when designing new and exciting products; thus encouraging them to be problem solvers and future inventors. 

What does Design Technology look like at Richard Wakefield?

Richard wakefield primary image 1Richard wakefield primary image 10DT1

 

 

Please find our DT progression map here, highlighting the skills taught in each year group.Please find our DT cooking progression map here, highlighting the skills taught in each year group.

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