Subject Leader: Mrs Hunt 

Governor Link: 

Design and Technology

"He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers - all of them skilled workers and designers"

                                                                                                                                                          Exodus 35:35

Intent

At St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, we value Design and Technology as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum in a safe environment where they are inspired. Design and Technology offers children a chance to use creative thinking and activity, with a defined purpose and tangible outcome. Technology is a part of children’s immediate experiences therefore their understanding and skills are important to develop. The thinking tools developed through D&T provide the skills for practical work, reflection, problem solving and a growth mindset approach.

Implementation

There is a programme of study for Design and Technology in place from Foundation Stage through to Year 6 that is taught through our Cornerstones Curriculum. It is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject which requires creativity, resourcefulness and imagination. Pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts. It embeds many curriculum values and is cross curricular, encouraging children to draw upon the skills and subject knowledge within Science, Maths, History, Computing and Art. Teachers will plan to ensure full coverage of the skills relating to the Design and Technology curriculum for that year group throughout the years. Pupils are given the opportunities to explore these skills both individually and by working within a group in a variety of contexts. These skills are embedded and enhanced with links to STEM who have provided us with a STEM ambassador to work closely alongside Ks1 and 2 to enhance the cultural capital and inspire them for jobs for the future! Furthermore the children will study the concept of cooking and nutrition. Understanding and applying the principles of a healthy and varied diet. Developing skills to prepare and cook food. Exploring seasonality, and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed

Impact

Design and Technology learning is enjoyed by teachers and pupils across school. As a subject, Design and Technology combines skills, knowledge, concepts and values to enable children to tackle real life problems. They learn to take risks, be reflective, innovative, enterprising and resilient. Through the evaluation of past and present technology they can reflect upon the impact of Design and technology on everyday life and the wider world. This is a collection of skills that they can take into their future and have a significant positive impact on their development and the communities that they are part of

At the end of every term we have a design and technology gallery event, where we celebrate the children's brilliant learning. 

Substantive and disciplinary knowledge in design and technology

Substantive knowledge in design and technology is based on the knowledge of four key elements of the process of design (design, make, evaluate and technical knowledge). All of these elements will be taught from Reception to Year 6 and vocabulary is taught explicitly and will be deliberately practised and applied through the 4 key elements.

These are:

Design - Know how to design a product that is purposeful, functional and appealing to a specific group.

Make -  Know how to cut, join and finish a range of increasingly complex materials, ranging from paper to wood.

Evaluate - Know how to investigate, evaluate and analyse a range of existing products and their own designs based on a specific design criteria. In addition to this, children will know key individuals have helped to shape the world in which we live in.

Technical knowledge -  Know how to apply their knowledge of specific materials to meet the criteria listed above in the design, make and evaluate stages.

Disciplinary knowledge in design and technology is the process of enabling children to use their substantive knowledge of products and materials around them to make links between and across different areas of the curriculum. Knowledge in design and technology will equip the children with the opportunity to explain how and why products have changed over time and how they might be further improved in the future. They can use their knowledge and understanding to suggest how existing products may be improved with the advances in modern technology. Children will demonstrate that they have the cultural capital to become global citizens, following global themes and fundamental British Values, in an ever changing and technologically advancing world.

STEM

We are very fortunate this year to have a STEM ambassador to work alongside Keystage 1 and Keystage 2. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math. These four fields share an emphasis on innovation, problem-solving, and critical thinking. And together they make up a popular and fast-growing industry. Most STEM workers use computers and other technology in their day-to-day jobs. So we are creating engineers of the future!