Design Technology
Design & Technology
At St David's our Design and Technology curriculum is designed to inspire children to think innovatively and inquisitively and follows the Ventrus curriculum inspired by the Essentials Curriculum. Our intent is to encourage children to become independent, creative problem solvers and thinkers as individuals and part of a team; skills that are crucial to lifelong learning. We give children opportunities 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. Projects link, where appropriate to other areas of the curriculum and we encourage children to make connections to other subjects, such as mathematics, science, computing and art. The children are given opportunities to reflect upon and evaluate past and present technology and its usefulness so that they can use these skills in their lives beyond primary school.
Design Technology is taught termly through well planned and resourced projects that give children the opportunity to use skills learned previously and build on these through new experiences:
• Through a variety of creative and practical activities, we teach the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in the process of being a designer and maker.
• Children are taught to show a clear process of research, design, make and evaluate.
• We deliver a range of Design and Technology projects with a clear structure, which includes challenging pupils at all levels.
• Children can explore a range of existing products and formulate opinions on these, to make design decisions for their own product.
• Children design products with a purpose in mind and an intended user of the products.
• New vocabulary is taught progressively
• Food technology is implemented across the school with children developing an understanding of where food comes from, the importance of a varied and healthy diet and how to prepare this.
• Sketch books will contain experimentation, photographs and reflections, showing ideas and development.
• Photographs of final pieces, larger, group or 3D pieces are also kept in the Sketch books.
• DT is assessed at the end of each unit.
As a result of our curriculum design, children take risks, are reflective, innovative, enterprising and resilient. Products become more complex throughout the school and products produced demonstrate age-appropriate skills. Children can talk about the process of designing, making and evaluating in all year groups. They reflect upon the impact of Design Technology on everyday life and the wider world. Our children can apply their skills to new ideas and safely undertake projects involving design and technology to a high standard in their life beyond primary school.