Design & Technology

Intent

Design and Technology is concerned with how things work and also how they look. It is a creative and inspiring subject. We enable pupils to develop the knowledge and skills needed to engage in the investigative and imaginative process of designing and making. Pupils consider real world problems. In Design and Technology, children are required to research and develop, investigate and analyse and apply understanding of computing to programme, monitor and control their products. They work with a range of materials, which include paper, card, wood, fabric, construction kits and food.

Our aim is that all children will develop their capability to create products through combining their designing and making skills with their knowledge and understanding. Children are able to draw on their skills used in other subjects particularly mathematics, science and art to support their designing and making activities. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, inventive, enterprising and capable citizens. Through evaluation, children develop an understanding of a products impact on daily life and the wider world.

Implementation

At Longlands DT lessons are practical and engaging in order to develop children’s DT skills and knowledge. Teachers plan lessons that are progressive, follow the design process and build on prior knowledge by revisiting concepts previously studied.  Pupils explore mechanisms, structures, textiles, mechanical systems, electrical systems and cooking and nutrition.  Pupils select from a wide range of materials and components as part of the design process. We aim to inspire all children by giving them them broad opportunities to explore products, think critically, create and evaluate their own innovative designs.  Children will understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped to shape the world.

Each child has have a sketchbook to record their ideas, explore techniques and work through the design process. Children reflect on their own work through evaluations, both written and verbal.  Evidence of children’s work can be found in sketchbooks and displays.

We ensure that pupils:

• Develop individual ideas to investigate and solve practical problems
• Build and apply their knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make innovative products for a wide range of audiences and purposes.
• Make design decisions using appropriate skills and techniques.
• Evaluate and test ideas, products and the work of others.
• Understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learns cooking techniques.

Art and DT Curriculum Map