Design And Technology

"Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works." - Steve Jobs

Welcome to Design and Technology

At Acklam Whin Primary School, Design and Technology is a way of learning, which spans and links the whole curriculum. It is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject.

We encourage children to use their creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts considering their own and others needs, want and values.

Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Children understand how to apply their technical knowledge and justify their design decisions using key vocabulary, initial designs and functional products from the conceptual through to the constructional.

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 make an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.

We aim to, wherever possible, link work to other disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. The children are encouraged to become innovators and risk-takers.

We are committed to enabling all children to make excellent progress in their knowledge and skills in Design Technology. Our expectations for what should be achieved by the end of each year group are divided into five key areas according to the national curriculum:

Designing
Making
Evaluating
Technical knowledge
Cooking and nutrition

Our Aims

At Acklam Whin we want our children to foster a love of Design Technology. By providing stimulating hands-on practical activities, pupils engage directly with materials, tools and equipment to design, make and evaluate projects. This tactile, active learning helps children to develop fine motor skills and gain confidence in using tools and materials.

Design Technology teaches important practical skills such as sewing, cooking and using basic tools which are valuable for everyday life. Our curriculum promotes creativity and innovation, the children are encouraged to share ideas and collaborate with one another, cultivating an intellectual curiosity and a mindset of innovation. Our curriculum design enables children to develop their skills progressively as they move through school.

Design Technology naturally connects with other subjects such as mathematics, science, history, art and ICT. This cross-curricular integration helps reinforce learning in other subjects and provides pupils with a real-world context. In an increasingly technological world, having a foundational understanding of design and innovation is crucial.

Laying the Foundations

At Acklam Whin, we begin fostering natural curiosity and creativity in our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Expressive Arts and Design is one of the specific areas of the EYFS curriculum, allowing children to safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experiment with colour design, texture and form. The Physical Development area of the EYFS curriculum ensures children use a range of small tools allowing them to refine and develop their fine motor skill.

We encourage children to participate in design, make and evaluate sequences. We offer opportunities for our children to explore different materials, modelling resources and construction kits. We ensure that all their ideas, creations and models are valued and celebrated.

Big Ideas inDesign and Technology

Our curriculum follows the National Curriculum to structure learning using the following ‘Big Ideas of Design Technology’. These are: Mechanical Systems, Cooking and Nutrition Building Structures, Textiles, Electrical Systems. Our Big Ideas help our children to connect their knowledge. Pupils build on their prior learning to develop rich schema over time.

Children follow the process of Design, Make and Evaluate and use our Acklam Whin Road Map to connect their knowledge. Over time, pupils can recall and activate their prior learning to develop a rich understanding of the curriculum.

Knowing More, Remembering More

Achievement is defined at Acklam Whin as children being able to know more, remember more and do more. At Acklam Whin we are committed to ensuring that our students make excellent progress across the Design Technology curriculum through assessment of both knowledge and skills. At the end of each unit of work, students complete a multiple-choice quiz to demonstrate their learning. Additionally, they have the opportunity to evaluate their work where they can articulate and reflect on their understanding of the knowledge and skills taught and express why they are proud of their achievement. Children have a growing understanding of Design Technology in the classroom and the impact on the wider world. Children will learn how to work with others, giving and receiving help and constructive criticism , which they can apply to other lessons and outside the school environment.

Reading Across the Curriculum

Technical vocabulary is introduced and revisited regularly so that children are able to successfully use and understand these key terms. Children are exposed to a range of fiction and non-fiction books that engage their interest for the subject and help them learn about significant people and places.