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Design & Technology

Intent

Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject which encourages children to think, learn and intervene creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team. At The Beeches Primary School, we encourage children to work reflectively and use their creativity 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, Engineering, Computing and Art. The children are also given opportunities to reflect upon and evaluate past and present design technology and its uses and effectiveness. Children at The Beeches are encouraged to become ambitious innovators and risk-takers.

Implementation

Through a variety of creative and practical topic related challenges based around the Cornerstones Curriculum, we teach the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. 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, 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

• 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

Impact

Through our programme of high-quality DT learning, we ensure the children of The Beeches School:

 

• develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday 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 using our curriculum kitchen which classes are regularly timetabled to use, based on the links to their Cornerstones topics. Using this, the children will design, make and evaluate food projects. 

  • have the opportunity to grow food at school and make visits to a local farm to learn about seasonality and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.

 

By the end of the EYFS, children can play, explore and make sense of their world. They can use their imagination in their play and solve simple problems. They will safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques and can experiment with colour, design, texture and form. By the end of KS1, children generate and communicate their ideas through a range of different methods e.g. written work, diagrams, modelling, speaking and using ICT.

By the end of KS2, children develop their own design criteria for a functional and appealing product that is fit for purpose. These criteria will cover the intended use of the product, targeted age range and final appearance. Ideas are communicated in a range of ways eg through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design. By the time they leave our school, our children learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they will have developed 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 wellbeing of the nation.

Subject Leaders 

Mrs Van der Sterren and Miss Walker

Below is our draft subject progression document that shows the content of our school curriculum in each academic year. Our progression documents are constantly being updated and refined to achieve the very best possible outcomes for our children.