Design & Technology

Intent - what do we want children to learn?

Our Design and Technology curriculum encourages children to critically evaluate existing products and create solutions. Children are taken through the process of designing, taking risks, constructing, reflecting, evaluating and improving their own prototypes using a design criteria. Children have the opportunity to evaluate constructions and individuals who have shaped the world showing the real impact of design and technology and inspire a new generation of innovators.

Implementation - how are going to achieve our intent?

• Design and technology skills are taught to allow for revision of ideas and follow a step by step process to build a child’s understanding.
• Children become familiar with all steps of the design and technology process including designing, making and evaluating.
• Evaluation is a continuous process throughout projects and children are encouraged to assess at each step.
• Pupils are encouraged to take on feedback and next step comments from teachers.
• Quality wall displays show appreciation of children’s work and celebrate successes.
• Design and technology is linked to our wider topic in both key stages.
• Use of tools with relevant Health and Safety and supervision in place.
• Understanding that all abilities need to access the objective and so projects can be open ended, using different resources or with varying difficulty.
• Pupils speak confidently about design and technology and use the correct terminology to describe processes and material. Language and vocabulary are areas of progression throughout the years.
• Throughout their years with us, children are exposed to literature with a range of step by step styles such as recipes and instructions.
• Research of famous design technologists and inventions from various time periods and cultures enriches our curriculum and ensures children are aware of the contributions quality technology has on our world.
• Design technology is a celebrated part of our school through the opportunity to share work in our weekly celebration assembly.
• Design technology is appreciated throughout Geography and History as inventions from various time periods and cultures are studied.
• High quality questioning supports children’s knowledge and ideas.
• Photographs and copies of work are recorded with next steps given verbally or through comments in books. Children are encouraged to reflect on feedback from teachers and consider the thoughts of others.
• Links with STEM subjects.
• Teachers will assess pupils’ work throughout their sessions and offer constructive feedback with the child’s progress in mind. Teachers will use a range of assessment techniques to assess understanding against the learning objective including questioning, quizzes and recaps.

Impact - what will it look like when we have achieved our intent?

By the time children leave Bucklesham Primary School, children will have had a plethora of experiences to ignite their imagination to carefully select tools and design a piece appropriate for a certain audience or purpose. Pupils will be self critical and learn to take on feedback from others to improve their work and understand the work of others. Children will be prepared with the necessary skills to carry with them into their secondary education including design, evaluation and investigation.