DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
lntent:
At Warren Park, Design Technology is taught as part of the year group curriculum and within our COSMIC curriculum. We challenge children to use their creativity and imagination through designing and making products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. Our projects and challenges reflect our changing world and help the children to understand how DT can help find solutions for real life problems and challenges.
In DT we draw upon links to other subject areas like mathematics, science, computing and art. We aim to enrich children’s knowledge and passion for the subject through evaluating past and present design technology and designers. We want children to develop their skills and knowledge so that they can be applied both in the classroom, in our outside environment and our community. We do this by sequencing lessons so that in each year they are building on an order of technical knowledge.
lmplementation:
At Warren Park, we follow the ‘Design, Make, Evaluate’ approach to learning. Each year we build systematic technical knowledge as outlined in the National Curriculum Programme of Study.
Children are encouraged to be inquisitive about the way products work and the people who invented them. To unpick the purpose of products and their suitability.
As the children move along their journey as designers, they are encouraged to draw detailed designs and make prototypes to refine their ideas before creating their final piece.
Teachers provide clear instruction for the technical skills needed in each project, modelling good practice and highlighting safety considerations with the children.
At all stages of the project, children are given the age group specific language needed to be able to understand instruction and to be communicate ideas using subject specific language.
In the evaluation stage, children reflect upon their final products, considering how they could have altered their design or techniques to impact the overall appearance and usability of their product. Children will be encouraged to make these changes and comment on the results.
Collaborative work in Design and Technology develops mutual respect for the differing opinions, beliefs and abilities of others. In addition, children develop a respect for the environment, for their own health and safety and that of others. They learn to appreciate the value of similarities and differences and learn to show tolerance.
lmpact:
At all stages of the process of ‘Design, Make, Evaluate and Technical Knowledge’ children and teachers will assess whether they are meeting the objective of the lesson or the design brief set. This enables teachers to be able to support learners through the project and enable them to succeed.
Using our DT ‘Year Group Project Statements’ we are able to see if learners are meeting their age-related expectations. These statements summarise the DT expectations for a year group within the contexts of the project they are completing.
These statements encompass the following outcomes for DT learners at Warren Park School:
Children develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
Children will 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.
Children will critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others.
Children will make changes to designs and ideas with confidence and be able to communicate their thinking to others.
Children will understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook. They will understand the process of growing food to eat it through the school garden.