Curriculum Statement
Design & Technology
Curriculum Design at St Joseph’s Uttoxeter
Curriculum Area: Design and Technology
Curriculum Leader: Miss Austin
Intent
Our Design and Technology curriculum aims to encourage pupils to develop technical knowledge and a high level of skills in designing, making and evaluating, through a variety of creative and practical experiences. We intend for children to design and make products that solve real-life and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values.
The curriculum overview outlines progression between classes. This shows the progression of skills for the relevant subject areas: Food, structures, textiles, electrical systems and mechanical systems.
We aim to motivate and inspire children through a curriculum that engages and challenges all learners, by encouraging them to become resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens, who are prepared to take risks. We plan for children to acquire a broad range of subject knowledge, through cross-curricular opportunities e.g. mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Our curriculum is designed to deepen knowledge and develop transferable skills.
Implementation
In Design and Technology, we implement an inclusive curriculum that meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum.
A series of exciting and stimulating lessons are planned, with clear knowledge and skills-based learning objectives and subject-specific vocabulary.
Children are encouraged to be inquisitive about the way products work. Opportunities are given to ask and answer questions, through investigating and analysing a range of existing products. This supports them to create their own design criteria. They then practise, experiment and build on new and prior technical knowledge and skills to create a prototype. Children develop their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches and diagrams, before creating their final piece. We encourage children to evaluate and refine their designs, regularly. Ownership is given to the children, through their choice of materials, components, tools and equipment, to fulfil the product’s design criteria. In addition, children are taught where food comes from, the importance of a healthy and varied diet and how to prepare a nutritional dish. We have a scheme that ensures progression for our single aged classes. There is a weekly 1 hour lesson in DT. Teachers assess learning in Design and Technology against knowledge and skills-based learning objectives within unit overviews. Our curriculum is delivered through highly effective ‘quality first teaching’. When possible, enrichment opportunities, including cookery clubs, provide our children with rich experiences and enhance teaching, learning and knowledge. We introduce children to DT in EYFS by allowing them to explore, use and refine a variety of artistic effects to express their ideas and feelings and explore different materials freely, in order to develop their ideas about how to use them and what to make.
Our Design and Technology curriculum promotes children’s Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development, ensuring that they are reflective and responsible citizens. Fundamental British Values are actively promoted in Design and Technology lessons in order to prepare the children for life in Modern Britain.
Impact
Our well-planned Design and Technology curriculum ensures that children are knowledgeable and highly-skilled designers, who understand how to design and make ‘high quality’ products that solve real-life and relevant problems.
Through the breadth and depth that our curriculum offers, children become confident, independent and resilient creators, who are passionate and inspired by the subject, including having a love of cooking and nutrition.