Design & Technology
Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils are able to 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 develop a broad range of subject knowledge and use elements which link with other subjects such as building torches to match their learning of circuits in Science or designing a temperature sensor to link with their use of a Micro:Bit in Computing. Pupils learn how to take risks, become resourceful, innovative and creative, while learning the process of designing, making and evaluating.
Our curriculum allows children to become more aware of the items around them and the need for creativity and innovation. Through evaluation, careful planning and an understanding of design criteria, pupils learn about how items can be created for different target audiences.
Intent
St Kentigern’s intends to offer a relevant, broad, vibrant and ambitious Design & Technology curriculum that will:
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allow learners to become secure in the planning, design, making and evaluation of products to such an extent that they can go on to have careers within Design and Technology or make use of design and technology effectively in their everyday lives. Inspire children’s creativity so that the they will build upon the skills they learn and develop hobbies, interests in these areas.
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follow a sequence of learning which builds on previous learning to develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about creativity and design. The scheme will allow children to see key areas of Design Technology where their ideas can be developed: these are textiles, cooking and nutrition, mechanical systems, digital systems, electrical systems and structures.
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allow children to gain experience and skills of a wide range of formal elements of design and concepts of technology in a way that will enhance their learning opportunities, enabling them to use design and technology skills in a range of other subjects to become creative and solve problems.
Implementation
All classes will have access to a very high-quality curriculum using a modified version of the Kapow scheme of work and resources. This will progressively develop pupil skills in Design Technology through regularly taught and well-planned lessons. Design Technology will be taught discretely in order to ensure the quality of the skills being taught and the vocabulary being learnt, yet links will be made to support other areas of the curriculum and enhance children’s engagement. Children will progressively acquire, use and apply a growing bank of vocabulary, language skills and grammatical knowledge organised around age-appropriate topics and themes. The overview will allow children to develop their skills in key Design Technology areas: these are textiles, cooking and nutrition, mechanical systems, digital systems, electrical systems and structures.
Impact
Pupils will continuously build on their previous knowledge as they progress in their Design Technology learning journey. Previous vocabulary and skills will be recycled, revised, recalled and consolidated whenever possible and appropriate. The overview of different topics and end points will allow pupils to achieve their learning goals and progress through each unit. They will know and will be able to articulate if they have or have not met their learning objectives and build up their folder of acquired learning and vocabulary from unit to unit.
Our children will progress with their knowledge of the process of designing, making and evaluating and use vocabulary, relevant to their learning. They will develop an understanding of the importance of planning and preparation, careful construction and then critical thinking and evaluation. This process aims to develop children who understand and develop a resilient attitude to the cycle of design, which will allow them to find success in later life.