Science

Updated: 08/02/2023 168 KB
Updated: 08/02/2023 188 KB
Updated: 08/02/2023 83 KB
Updated: 08/02/2023 44 KB

Intent:

Our Design and technology curriculum aims to inspire pupils to be innovative and creative thinkers who have an appreciation for the product design cycle through ideation, creation, and evaluation. We use the Kapow primary scheme of work as a basis for our curriculum, but we have integrated it to our own bespoke STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) curriculum. To this end, we teach design & technology hand-in-hand with science, making purposeful links to reinforce the acquisition of knowledge whilst also retaining the distinctiveness of the subject in its own right. 

We want pupils to develop the confidence to take risks, through drafting design concepts, modelling, and testing and to be reflective learners who evaluate their work and the work of others. Through our scheme of work, we aim to build an awareness of the impact of design and technology on our lives and encourage pupils to become resourceful, enterprising citizens who will have the skills to contribute to future design advancements.

Our Design and technology curriculum enables pupils to meet the Early Learning Goals and the end of key stage attainment targets in the National curriculum. The aims of our curriculum also align with those in the National curriculum.

Implementation:

Our Design and technology curriculum outlines the three main stages of the design process: design, make and evaluate. Each stage of the design process is underpinned by technical knowledge which encompasses the contextual, historical, and technical understanding required for each strand. Cooking and nutrition has a separate section, with a focus on specific principles, skills and techniques in food, including where food comes from, diet and seasonality. 

The National curriculum organises the Design and technology attainment targets under five subheadings or strands:
•    Design
•    Make
•    Evaluate
•    Technical knowledge
•    Cooking and nutrition

Our Design and technology curriculum has a clear progression of skills and knowledge within these five strands across each year group. Our Progression of skills shows the skills and knowledge that are taught within each year group and how these skills develop to ensure that attainment targets are securely met by the end of each key stage. 

Through our Design and technology scheme, pupils respond to design briefs and scenarios that require consideration of the needs of others, developing their skills in five key areas:
•    Mechanisms
•    Structures
•    Textiles
•    Food and 
•    Electrical systems (KS2)

Each of our key areas follows the design process (design, make and evaluate) and has a particular theme and focus from the technical knowledge or cooking and nutrition section of the curriculum. Our curriculum is a spiral curriculum, with key areas revisited again and again with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revisit and build on their previous learning. 

Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work including practical hands-on, computer-based and inventive tasks. 

Differentiated guidance is available for every lesson to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are available when required. Knowledge organisers for each unit support pupils in building a foundation of knowledge by encouraging recall of key facts and vocabulary. 

Strong subject knowledge is vital for staff to be able to deliver a highly effective and robust Design and technology curriculum. To ensure this, each unit of lessons in our curriculum includes multiple teacher videos to develop subject knowledge and support ongoing CPD. 
 

Impact:

The impact of our curriculum is be constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. 

Each lesson plan includes guidance to support teachers in assessing pupils against the learning objectives. Furthermore, each unit has a unit quiz which is used at the end of the unit to assess technical knowledge. Teachers can also assess children’s through evaluation of final products against design criteria. 

After the implementation of our Design and technology curriculum, pupils should leave school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their secondary education and be innovative and resourceful members of society.

The expected impact our Design and technology curriculum is that children will:

•    Understand the functional and aesthetic properties of a range of materials and resources.
•    Understand how to use and combine tools to carry out different processes for shaping, decorating, and manufacturing products.
•    Build and apply a repertoire of skills, knowledge and understanding to produce high quality, innovative outcomes, including models, prototypes, CAD, and products to fulfil the needs of users, clients, and scenarios.
•    Understand and apply the principles of healthy eating, diets, and recipes, including key processes, food groups and cooking equipment.
•    Have an appreciation for key individuals, inventions, and events in history and of today that impact our world.
•    Recognise where our decisions can impact the wider world in terms of community, social and environmental issues.
•    Self-evaluate and reflect on learning at different stages and identify areas to improve.
•    Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for Design and technology.

Design & Technology

Updated: 08/02/2023 168 KB
Updated: 06/02/2023 233 KB
Updated: 07/02/2023 81 KB
Updated: 07/02/2023 81 KB