Design and Technology allows pupils to make real life links, and develop aspirations to become, professions such as engineers, architects, and designers. Work often connects with on-going topics in other curriculum areas, which allow pupils to understand the importance of designing and making in everyday life. It allows them to become aware of how technology is all around us and how its use has evolved as we have.
DT is taught to all children in school on a weekly basis, every other half term, to develop key skills and an understanding of the subject. Pupils are encouraged to investigate, plan, make and evaluate their work while working on their own, in pairs and small groups. All lessons are designed to promote enjoyment of DT and embed the purpose and importance of the subject. Our approach to the planning, assessment and teaching of DT throughout the school is organised in our mixed age class groupings. We have planned a specific KS1 and KS2 project for each topic in our four-year cycle so that pupils will never repeat an activity. As with art, we follow a structured approach to each investigation – exploration of a successful example, plan, make and finally evaluate.
As well as bespoke lessons, we often teach DT alongside other core and foundation subjects. For example, in History, pupils might make their own castle models or design contemporary outfits to demonstrate their cross-curricular topic understanding. Similarly, in Computing you may see children designing and creating their own programmable robots. These cross-curricular links help children to develop a secure understanding of materials, structures, mechanisms and controls whilst thinking about what their work will be used for and the needs of those who use them.
From their time in the EYFS all children learn how to safely use a variety of tools under supervision in our indoor and outdoor classrooms to create quality items. This includes when cooking and preparing food (some of which will be grown on site). All pupils will be taught how to cook and apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating and appreciate seasonality. Opportunities for this have also been included in our PSHE planning to help instil a love of cooking and appreciate cultural heritage and differences. Cooking regularly on a half termly basis should encourage pupils to appreciate that learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that enables pupils to feed themselves and others affordably and well, now and in later life. We incorporate local influences to develop our interest and love for DT. For example, children from Acorns take part in outdoor learning sessions which allow the children to link nature with DT. We also liaise with local artists and other experts to access different styles of design and technology when these opportunities are presented through us by our work with e.g. Highlights Rural Touring Scheme.
