Design Technology

INTENT

  • In the North Cheam hub, children receive a Design and Technology curriculum that allows them to follow a design brief in a creative way. Children are given the opportunity to combine their designing and making skills with knowledge and understanding in order to design and make a project. 
  • The DT programme is in line with the National Curriculum and covers all skills needed in each Key Stage.
  • Skills are taught progressively to ensure all children are able to learn and progress as they move through the school.
  • We are catering for all our pupils (SEND, EAL, Disadvantage Pupils) by providing cross curricular learning. Many of our pupils enjoy learning through doing- Art week with links to DT, art competition within the LEO in the summer term, art with cross-curricular links i.e. topic. All children are encouraged to participate in all art activities with support if needed.
  • Assessment is formative. Objectives are completed when they have been taught and at the end of the year a teacher's judgement is made. 
  • Where possible, projects are linked to other areas of the curriculum such as topic, English, computing and art
  • Children are also given the opportunity to reflect on and evaluate their work. They are encouraged to become innovators and risk takers. 
  • Children will also learn basic cooking skills. 

IMPLEMENTATION

  • DT is taught as a project once a term and is linked with the current topic for that term - the duration of time is dependent on the subject and the lesson. This is also linked to other areas of the curriculum instead of a stand-alone lesson.
  • Evidence of this will be in a project booklet that will be stuck into the topic books. 
  • The lessons have a clear structure allowing children the opportunity to design, make and evaluate.
  • The aim is to try to spend more time thinking about the design process and allowing children to use their design skills to solve practical problems rather than being told what to create.  
  • They work both individually and in teams. 

IMPACT

  • Teachers are encouraged to use all areas of the curriculum to develop the DT skills needed in each year group.
  • Children look forward to DT projects and show progression in the skills they apply.
  • We would like children to develop creative, technical and practical skills that they will carry with them in the future.
  • We would like them to build a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills to design and make high quality products.
  • They will also gain an understanding of the principles of nutrition and be able to apply these in their life. 
  •  We want the children to take risks and become resourceful, innovative and enterprising.