Design and Technology Curriculum Statement

At Paddock Wood Primary Academy, we want every child to be happy and enthusiastic learners of Design and Technology, and to be eager to achieve their very best in order to fulfil their considerable potential. We firmly believe that the recipe for success is high quality first-wave teaching in Design and Technology, which is central to the life of our happy, caring school.

Intent

• Our principal aim is that children leave Paddock Wood Primary Academy, with a wide range of happy and rich memories in Design and Technology formed through interesting and exciting experiences driven through vehicles that enhance a child’s awareness of their own abilities and strengths as a learner; thus ensuring that children see learning in Design and Technology as an on-going process not a one-off event.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239041/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_Design_and_technology.pdf

• Children will meet the National Curriculum expectations in Design and Technology, which will be taught by highly-qualified, enthusiastic staff who will support children to develop mastery of concepts and inspire enthusiasm and interest in the subject.

• Opportunities will exist for children of all ages to experience learning beyond the classroom. This will allow them to enrich their knowledge by, for example, visiting a local housing development and viewing show homes with a member of the design team to ascertain how the aesthetic nature of these example homes is designed.

• Children will develop a deep understanding of the subjects they are studying. They will increasingly use their prior knowledge to solve problems and develop the sophistication of Design and Technology.

• Children will understand how British Values relate to Design and Technology.

• In Design and Technology, children will develop planning and communication skills, including presenting ideas, produce meaningful and quality products and be reflective of their processes and outcomes.

• Children will develop a real understanding and appreciation of the world learning from the best that has been developed and said. For example, architects, chefs or engineers.

Implementation

• The subject leader for DT will meet the senior leadership team and repesentatives from the Trust on a regular basis to evaluate provision in order to ensure that teaching and learning in DT is outstanding. Where necessary, staff will receive coaching and training in DT.

• Carefully designed, interleaved schemes of learning in Design and Technology ensure consistency and progress of all learners.

• The vehicles which drive learning throughout the term is the central idea and associated lines of inquiry. Therefore, DT is taught through these vehicles. Other ways of learning include by guest specialists in their field, trips to businesses, fieldwork to relevant places of interest, innovative use of technolog, to name but a few.

• Clearly defined end goals are set in order to guide children to achieve their potential. This ensures work is demanding and matches the aims of the curriculum whislt still fulfilling the requirements of a PYP approach.

• High quality teaching responds to the needs of children. Spiral learning is a key focus of all formative and summative assessment with teachers actively marking work in lessons in order to identify misconceptions early.

• High quality input from experts and educational resources complement the delivery of specialist learning admirably. Children understand how DT is used in the wider world including careers.

• Teaching in drawing skills will be focused on and students will be able to draw a range of 3D shapes accurately and using a ruler.

• Presentation skills be will taught to ensure that students are taking pride in their design work and in work that may be shared as part of a whole class activity. Students should be confident in explaining their design work to peers and teachers and acknowledge feedback as a measure of driving work and progress forward and not a criticism to hold on to.

• Students will have a clear understanding of basic health and safety procedures and how this is linked to the equipment that they use during practical sessions.

• In Design and Technology students will be confident when using equipment and understand and explain simple manufacturing processes that have been taught when completing any practical element.

• An understanding of different material areas should also be covered in relation to; Textiles (Fabrics), Product Design (Wood/Plastic/Metal), Graphics (Paper, Board and Printing) and Food (Ingredients) gifted and talented students should be pushed for specific material names and link them to the correct material area.

Impact

• Children are happy learners within Design and Technology . They experience a wide range of learning challenges within the art and know appropriate responses to them. Children will enhance their problem solving skills and use their resilience to ensure that work is amended rather than started again.

• Through DT, children deepen their appreciation of their faith and fulfil their potential.

• Visits within Design and Technology have enriched the lives of the children and they are able to discuss how the experience impacted their knowledge and understanding. Children’s confidence will shine through the presentation of their work in group settings and in an individual setting.

• Children of all abilities and backgrounds achieve well in Design and Technology reflected in outstanding progress that reveals a clear learning journey. Children talk enthusiastically about their learning in Design and Technology and are eager to further their learning in the next stages of their education.

• There is a proven track record of assessment success (recorded through the Foundation Skills Assessment) that reflects the impact of deep learning.

• Clear outcomes focus and guide all Design and Technology development plans and drive improvement.

• Fundamental British Values are evident in Design and Technology and children understand how it can celebrate difference.

• Through wider reading in Design and Technology, children will be exposed to a range of design work influenced by different design areas such as; Architecture, Chefs, Fashion Designers, Car Designers and Product Designers. (This could be achieved through looking at different media’s such as news published online, magazines or Design books.)

• Through this exposure, children will produce work that is influenced by the best of the best.