Design Technology at Shillington Lower School
We follow the KAPOW Primary Mixed-Age Planning in years 1 /2 and years 3 /4 and the EYFS (single age) planning in Reception. All pupils will create a booklet for each topic that contain all work completed for that topic including a photo of their final product. Opportunities for further art and design learning are built in to align with key dates and events in the academic calendar.
Intent
Curriculum Aims
Shillington lower School's scheme of work aims to inspire pupils to be innovative and creative thinkers who have an appreciation for the product design cycle through ideation, creation, and evaluation. The aim is for pupils to develop the confidence to take risks, through drafting design concepts, modelling, and testing and to be reflective learners who evaluate their work and the work of others. Through this scheme of work, we aim to build an awareness of the impact of design and technology on our lives and encourage pupils to become resourceful, enterprising citizens who will have the skills to contribute to future design advancements. This Design and technology scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of key stage attainment targets in the National curriculum and the aims also align with those in the National curriculum. EYFS (Reception) units provide opportunities for pupils’ to work towards the Development matters statements and the Early Learning Goals.
National Curriculum
The Design and technology National curriculum outlines the three main stages of the design process: design, make and evaluate. Each stage of the design process is underpinned by technical knowledge which encompasses the contextual, historical, and technical understanding required for each strand. Cooking and nutrition* has a separate section, with a focus on specific principles, skills and techniques in food, including where food comes from, diet and seasonality.
The National curriculum organises the Design and technology attainment targets under four subheadings:
Design, Make, Evaluate, and Technical knowledge.
We have taken these subheadings to be our Kapow Primary strands:
● Design
● Make
● Evaluate
● Technical knowledge
Our Design and technology scheme has a clear progression of skills and knowledge within these strands and key areas across each year group.
These strands ensure a balanced coverage of the substantive, disciplinary and procedural knowledge pupils need to progress in Design and technology.
They support the development of creativity, problem-solving and technical understanding, preparing pupils to design purposeful, functional products with increasing independence and confidence.
Purpose of study
The National curriculum for Design and technology sets out the importance of creativity through different contexts in the Technical knowledge strand, referring to structures, mechanisms and electrical systems. Cooking and nutrition are given their own heading.
To support this, our D&T curriculum is organised into the following six key areas:
- Structures.
- Mechanisms/Mechanical systems.
- Textiles.
- Cooking and nutrition.
- Electrical systems.
- The digital world.