Intent

Our DT curriculum intends to develop pupils who are confident and innovative designers, with a wide variety of design skills that they can use across the curriculum and for their own enjoyment.

At Langar C of E primary, we believe that learning is a change in long term memory. We believe children learn best by having opportunities to revisit previous learning. We teach DT every term to ensure that the children can fully immerse themselves and have opportunities to reflect and build on prior learning and skills.

The knowledge, skills and key vocabulary required to excel in this subject are set out in the DT planning document and in our school curriculum document. Each member of teaching staff has access to the document as a supportive tool when planning in order to review previous learning; ensure a coherent curriculum that outlines essential knowledge and skill development; and as an accurate assessment tool.

At Langar C of E Primary School, we want children to:

• 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
• 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

We use the concepts of mastering practical techniques, designing, making, evaluating, improving and taking inspiration from design to inform our planning.

Implementation

The school uses Plan Bee for the planning and assessment of DT. Our principal aim is to develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding in design and technology. We ensure that the act of investigating and making something includes exploring and developing ideas, and evaluating and developing work. Teachers ensure that the children apply their knowledge and understanding when developing ideas, planning and making products, and then evaluating them. We do this through a mixture of whole-class teaching and individual or group activities. Within lessons, we give children the opportunity both to work on their own and to collaborate with others, listening to other children’s ideas and treating these with respect. They have the opportunity to use a wide range of materials and resources, including ICT.

Impact

The intended impact of our curriculum is that children build knowledge, make connections between this knowledge and use it to explore and create. The teaching of Design and Technology offers opportunities to support the social development of our children through the way we expect them to work with each other in lessons. Our groupings allow children to work together, and give them the chance to discuss their ideas and feelings about their own work and the work of others. Through their collaborative and cooperative work across a range of activities and experiences in Design and Technology, the children develop respect for the abilities of other children, and a better understanding of themselves. They also develop a respect for the environment, for their own health and safety, and for that of others. They develop their cultural awareness and understanding, and they learn to appreciate the value of differences and similarities. A variety of experiences teaches them to appreciate that all people are equally important, and that the needs of individuals are not the same as the needs of groups. Design and technology contributes to the teaching of personal, social and health education and citizenship. We encourage the children to develop a sense of responsibility in following safe procedures when making things. They also learn about health and healthy diets. Their work encourages them to be responsible and to set targets to meet deadlines, and they also learn, through their understanding of personal hygiene, how to prevent disease from spreading when working with food.

Information and communication technology enhances the teaching of design and technology, wherever appropriate, in all key stages. Children use software to enhance their skills in designing and making things.   Children are given the opportunity to use ICT to control mechanisms and to get them to move in different ways, either in a virtual world or via an infrared connection to working models. The children also use ICT to collect information and to present their designs through a range of design and presentation software.

Assessment

Assessment judgements are informed by a pupil’s progress against the objectives laid down in the school’s curriculum document. We appreciate that in EYFS and Key Stage 1 the children will have a smaller general knowledge base to draw upon and in key stage 2 we will then expect to see them making more links to prior knowledge, comparing and contrasting as well as evaluating what they have learned.

Teachers will make a judgement of WTS (working towards the expected standard), EXP (Working at the expected standard) or GDS (working at greater depth). Judgements can be based on written work, formal and informal observations, and discussion.

Monitoring

Unit plans, assessment grids and medium term plans are monitored by SLT with responsibility for the curriculum. Curriculum coverage, including design and technology, is included in the termly curriculum catch up conversations.

Community

Langar C of E Primary School is proud of our community links, with the value woven through our curriculum.  When possible, we like to invite members of our local community to share their experiences and knowledge by visiting classes.

Resources

Useful Websites

https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/collection

https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/

https://www.data.org.uk/

http://www.puppetpatterns.com/

Cultural Capital

Children will learn about a range of areas where designing and creating for a purpose take places, including cooking, sewing and building structures. We link these subjects to real life experiences and famous engineering experts.

Cultural capital is ‘the essential knowledge that pupils need to be educated citizens, introducing them to the best that has been thought and said and helping to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement.’ Ofsted 2019