Design and Technology
Design and Technology Long term Plan
Our creative, engaging and ambitious art curriculum has been specifically written and designed to meet the needs of our children and our community while taking into account the requirements of the National Curriculum and the Early Years Framework.
Why do we teach design and technology?
At Dewhurst St Marys, we believe design and technology is an inspiring subject. It uses creativity and imagination where pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems. Children are encouraged to consider their own and others’ needs, wants and values. During their time at Dewhurst, children gain a range of subject knowledge incorporating subjects such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, inventive, enterprising and capable citizens. Through evaluation, children develop an understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world.
Aims
- Develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
- Build and apply a collection of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality examples and products for a wide range of people.
- Evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others.
- Understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.
Our D&T curriculum is based on a series of questions for the children to solve or answer. Children engage in a broad range of practical experiences to create innovative designs which solve relevant problems and improve children’s ability to control materials, tools and techniques. Teachers implement the design process by encouraging children to design, based on prior knowledge, research, design criteria and real problems. Children will evaluate existing products and take risks when making new products, acquiring new skills and selecting from a wide range of materials and components. As part of the process children will be given time to evaluate and improve their products, using a design criteria to guide this reflection. Children will understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped to shape the world.
Through DT work in the classroom, the children have the opportunity to develop their skills in mechanisms, structures, textiles, mechanical systems, electrical systems and cooking and nutrition. These areas are developed continuously throughout the school from Reception (physical development and expressive arts and design) through to year six and the children have the opportunity to revisit skills from previous years before learning new ones.
Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.
Steve Jobs
