“At Barlby Bridge School, we strongly believe that Design and Technology creates independent, creative problem solvers and thinkers both as individuals and part of a team. It enables them to identify needs and opportunities and to respond to them by developing a range of ideas preparing them for the future and the rapidly changing world.”
Introduction
Our Design and Technology programme of study underpins the school’s key values. A strong focus on the process of design, make and evaluate gives the children opportunities to use creativity and aspiration in their designs, show resilience during the making of their product and empathy and respect when evaluating others and their own work.
Continuity and Progression
The teaching of Design Technology across the school follows the National Curriculum through the use of Design and Technology Association’s ‘Projects On A Page’ documents. Children design products with a purpose in mind and an intended user of the products. Core areas of Food Technology, Structures, Mechanisms, Linkages and Levers, Textiles and in KS2 Electrical systems are taught in a process that ensures that each phase review, practises and builds upon these skills.
EYFS: Children will explore variety of media and materials through a combination of child initiated opportunities. They will use a variety f media and materials to express their own ideas, making plans and discussing form, function and purpose. Opportunities to prepare food will ensure that children adhere to good health and hygiene routines.
Key Stage 1: Through a variety of creative and practical activities, Children will begin to focus on the Design, make and Evaluate format of our D.T curriculum. Pupils will be taught to:
Design: develop purposeful and functional drawings, templates and mock ups.
Make: select from a range of tools to cut, shape, join and complete tasks.
Evaluate: Explore and evaluate against a design criteria.
Technical knowledge: build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable
Nutrition: To prepare and make healthy foods, understanding the use of good hygiene throughout.
In Key Stage 2: Within key stage 2 key events and individuals that have influenced the world of Design Technology are teaching focuses that are to be covered. The use of computer programmes and applications are also a key focus to be utilised by children in their design of their products. Pupils will be taught to:
Design: use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design.
Make: select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks, such as cutting, shaping, joining and finishing, accurately.
Evaluate: investigate and analyse a range of existing products and evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work.
Technical knowledge: apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures; use mechanical systems in their products, understand and use electrical systems in their products, apply their understanding of computing to programme, monitor and control their products.
Nutrition: prepare and cook a variety of dishes using a range of cooking techniques
And to understand seasonality, and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.
Intent
It is the intent of Barlby Bridge Primary School for Design Technology to be taught in all year groups through at least one topic per term, which includes one topic relating to food. Design Technology projects are often made cross curricular – linking to other subjects taught.
Key objectives of intent within the Design Technology Curriculum based on the National Curriculum 2014 guidance:
Products are to be made for a purpose.
Individuality should be ensured in children’s design and construction of products.
Delivery of the two strands: Designing and Making and Cooking and Nutrition.
More emphasis to be given on creating ‘innovative’ products in KS2
Teaching the importance of making on-going changes and improvements during making stages.
Looking into seasonality of ingredients and how they are grown, caught or reared
The introduction of computing and coding of products in KS2.
Researching key events and individual designers in the History of Technology in KS2.
Implementation
Pupils will build upon previous knowledge as they move through the phases – each phase focussing on the core areas of Food Technology, Structures, Mechanisms, Linkages and Levers, Textiles and in KS2 Electrical systems. The LTP ensures clear progression of knowledge, where skills are build upon. Detailed structure for planning and exemplars are linked to the LTP through the ‘Projects on a Page’ documents.
Pupils will work in D.T books documenting a clear learning pathway design, make and evaluate. In KS2 – they will also research other designs and (if appropriate) designer that have created similar products and use this as a criteria to evaluate their own designs.
Impact
At the end of their time at BBS children should have a creative and inventive understanding of design. They will be able to assess and evaluate their own and others work and have the skills to adapt their ideas if something is not effective.
Design Technology is monitored by the subject leader throughout the year in the form of book monitoring, looking at outcomes and pupil interviews to discuss their learning and understanding and establish the impact of the teaching taking place.
EYFS pupils’ progress and attainment is tracked using the Early Excellence Assessment tracker system, telling us whether each individual child is below expected, at expected or above expected attainment for their age.
Assessment of children’s learning in Design Technology is an ongoing monitoring of children’s understanding, knowledge and skills by the class teacher, throughout lessons. This assessment is then used to inform differentiation, support and challenge required by the children.
Children will make a range of models and structures, learn to cook basic foods and use problem solving skills to work on larger projects.