Design & Technology
“Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.”
Primary National Curriculum for Design and Technology 2014
DESIGN and TECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM STATEMENT
At Alfriston Primary School, we wish to prepare our pupils for living and working in a technological world. This is achieved by teaching technical understanding, designing and making skills. We want to encourage children to learn to think and intervene creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team. Design and Technology stimulates both intellectual and creative abilities and develops the personal qualities needed to complete a design project from initial ideas to a finished product.
OUR CURRICULUM INTENT FOR DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
- To develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
- To develop creativity, leadership skills and resilience, and to encourage problem solving, decision and judgement making.
- To build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users.
- To use tools safely and understand how to employ mechanical systems as well as having a good knowledge of nutrition and technical culinary skills.
- To critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others.
HOW WE IMPLEMENT OUR INTENTIONS
At Alfriston Primary School, teachers provide a range of design tasks and challenges that develop children’s creativity and encourage them to problem solve, show resilience, make decisions and take risks. Our plans develop designing and making skills, technical knowledge, cooking and nutrition with purposeful projects relating to a termly theme or topic. The skills learned through each Design and Technology project are often closely linked to other subject areas; knowledge about the properties of materials and electrical systems supports children’s work in science and measuring accurately supports their learning in maths. We have planned for a steady progression in skills throughout the school and children are continuously building on and developing skills and knowledge acquired in previous years.