Design & Technology

Our curriculum for design and technology aims to ensure that all pupils:

• 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.

Design and Technology knowledge and conceptual understanding 

Design and Technology prepares children to deal with our rapidly changing world. It is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Design and Technology encourages children to learn to think and intervene creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team. We encourage children to use their creativity and imagination, 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, computing and art. The children are also given opportunities to reflect upon and evaluate past and present design technology, its uses and its effectiveness and are encouraged to become innovators and risk-takers. By the end of each key stage, Pupils should be able to describe apply and understand content skills and processes. Pupils will demonstrate this through using both common language, but they should also be familiar with, and use, technical terminology accurately and precisely. They should build up an extended specialist vocabulary.

The knowledge, understanding and skills of learning design and technology

Learning how to design and make, for both Key Stage 1 and 2, is learnt through

• Design
• Make

• Evaluate
• Technical Knowledge

Through the design process, pupils will progress from developing ideas based on a design criteria to researching and developing their own design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose. They will be given the opportunity to generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design.

In both key stages, children will learn about the basics principles of a healthy and varied diet. The creativity of preparing and cooking will be used to introduced basic cooking techniques which we believe will stay with the children now and into the future – predominately savoury dishes will be used in this context. The concept of safety will be promoted here, in the context of food hygiene and cutting techniques for example.

Every effort is made to provide a curriculum that reflects our locality, environment, employment opportunities, whilst also encouraging design and make opportunities that reflect a curiosity in the wider world and their cultures.

Spoken Language 

Using the spoken word has a distinguished place in education and in society. To speak fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others promotes confidence and skills that are lifelong. Design and technology contextualises the opportunity to use quality and varied language. Pupils will be given the chance to explain their understanding, review their work and pupils will be taught, for example, to understand and use the conventions for discussion and debate in the review of their products.

Promoting our school motto and The Carey Qualities 

Our curriculum for Design and Technology allows children to realise in a tangible context the reasons why they should ‘Aim High’. Taking pride in a final project is to be valued. Children are encouraged to ‘Build Relationships’ during group practical activities where teamwork, listening skills and leadership are used, with a particular reference to working safely. When a project does not follow the design brief children will need to ‘Be Resilient’, adapting and responding to the challenges they meet in the process. Children who learn how to take risks need to ‘Be Resourceful’ furthermore; they will develop the skills to be innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Ultimately, Design and Technology makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation in the hopes of our future designers.