Design Technology
Design Technology Intent
Design Technology is a practical and inspiring subject that prepares our pupils for designing and making products that solve real life and relevant problems to make an impact in the wider world. It is our intention at Western to encourage children to work collaboratively or individually to consider other’s needs, wants and values. We actively encourage our children to innovate and take risks to become designers of the future, whilst critically evaluating past and present design. At Western, we provide opportunities for children to work in a range of contexts and draw upon subjects across the curriculum.
Inspiring ambitious and curious learners
Design and Technology at Western Primary school develops young children’s skills and knowledge in design, structures, mechanisms, electrical control and a range of materials, including food. Design and Technology encourages children’s creativity and encourages them to think about, review and improve their work.
At the start of a new DT focus, children will be introduced to a question or stimulus. A skill will be taught to the children which will thread through their learning journey. This generates curiosity and creativity for their designs and skills to be developed. Launch events inspire curious and ambitious learners and can involve trips or visitors into school.
Children will be able to build on their previous skills to plan, build and review their work. Sketchbooks will be used for an edited design and sketches. This will allow children to review, develop and consolidate prior learning and creative designs for their projects. DT showcases will take place to celebrate skills learned and developed and to share their work with their peers and parents/ carers.
To become successful engineers, we will know how to design innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose. Children at Western learn the importance of using safely a wide range of tools and equipment whilst gaining independence throughout the years. They become critical thinkers, able to adapt and improve their ideas whilst using inspiration from professional engineers, woodworkers, sculptors etc. The children will be taught about these professionals who have been carefully chosen in planning with this in mind.
Vocabulary
Teaching DT vocabulary enables children to understand and use subject specific language with confidence from a young age. This increases a child’s ability to talk about different aspects of DT in a confident capacity. Children are encouraged to discuss and critique their work and the work of others. Children are taught to give feedback and discuss the work of others’ in a respectful and meaningful way. Children’s vocabularies grow with technical and expressive words relating to art and design as they progress through our DT curriculum. Examples of Vocabulary in DT include function, design, prototype.
Designer skills
Artistic skills are developed from EYFS to Year 6. Children discover and study the work of a diverse range of engineers, chefs, woodworkers, textile designers etc and explore the ideas and meanings behind their design work. Children are given opportunities to experiment with techniques, processes, tools and materials. Children will acquire skills which will enable them to produce their own design technology work with confidence.
Exceptional Learning
High expectations are evident throughout the curriculum at Western and the use if i-pads in DT when designing serves to enhance teaching and learning further. iPads are used to take photos for inspiration for their work. They use apps to design structures which they can then review and adapt from what image is created for them.
Our DT Learning Journey
