Design and Technology
Together We Make Learning A Memorable, Unmissable Adventure
Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. 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 makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.
The national curriculum for design and technology aims to ensure that all pupils:
- 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 repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users
- critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
- understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.
Cooking and nutrition
As part of their work with food, pupils should be taught how to cook and apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. Instilling a love of cooking in pupils will also open a door to one of the great expressions of human creativity. Learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that enables pupils to feed themselves and others affordably and well, now and in later life.
Design and technology at Newton Burgoland
In design work, learners follow the process of research and explore; develop technique; plan and test; create, evaluate and improve. The curriculum is planned and organised so that all learners have the opportunity to revisit and refine knowledge, skills and techniques. 30 hours are allocated annually to design technology across at least 2 terms.
The majority of work in design technology is inspired by cross-curricular themes or events. For example in lower key stage 2, learners explore and evaluate how modern sandals are designed and made - they are challenged to create a sandal design for a Roman Soldier. Learners plan and make prototypes then test their ideas before making a final sandal to fit a member of staff. In Key stage 1, learners find out about wheels and axles then use their learning to plan and make a vehicle.
When working with materials and textiles learners improve their skills and techniques for cutting and joining. They experiment and explore before making a final artefact, refining, during their primary years, planning, selection, communication and skills. Learners, with increasing sophistication, are able to justify their choices, give and receive feedback and make improvements to their work.
In food technology learners are taught basic hygiene and nutrition to complement work done in science. Skills develop progressively from washing, peeling and cutting to experimenting with ingredients and flavours.
In forest schools learners gain confidence when working with tools and fire, they work collaboratively and creatively in all weathers developing the ability to risk assess and set personal goals.
Assessment, recording and reporting progress in design and technology
In all subjects there are three broad areas for assessment:
- Children’s knowledge and understanding
- How well children can use and apply their knowledge, understanding and skills at the end of a unit of work to complete an independent (of an adult) task or challenge.
- How well learners are developing habits for learning and character
Teachers assess learner’s work, their attitudes, increasing skills, knowledge and understanding, by making informal judgements as they observe them during lessons. This assessment enables planning to be tailored to meet learners needs. Assessment encompasses teacher, peer and self-assessment. In all subjects, opportunities for both Assessment for Learning and Assessment of Learning are built into provision. Learners are supported to reflect on their own learning and, age appropriately, to make judgements about their strengths and needs, beginning to plan how to make progress and set personal targets.
Baseline assessment, in order to understand pupils’ prior learning, is an essential part of planning to ensure new learning is relevant and progress can be assessed.
The learners work, in particular baseline assessments and end of unit assessments, which are recorded within learners’ workbooks are used to make decisions at the end of each unit, and at the end of each year, as to next learning steps and whether or not learners are making strong progress and are on track for end of key stage expectation.
Progress is recorded and reported to parents as part of the child’s annual school report
Design and technology in early years foundation stage
Understanding the world (UTW) is one of four specific areas of learning in the EYFS Curriculum Framework.
Understanding the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment
UTW has three aspects; Technology and The World being most related to future learning in Design Technology.
People and communities: children talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members. They know that other children don’t always enjoy the same things, and are sensitive to this. They know about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among families, communities and traditions.
The world: children know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things. They talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environments might vary from one another. They make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur, and talk about changes.
Technology: children recognise that a range of technology is used in places such as homes and schools. They select and use technology for particular purposes.
Expressive arts and design involves enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology
Expressive arts and design has two aspects:
Exploring and using media and materials: children sing songs, make music and dance, and experiment with ways of changing them. They safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.
Being imaginative: children use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role-play and stories.
Learning in design technology will support learning in Maths, Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Communication and Language.
SEND
Design Technology is taught to all children, whatever their ability, in accordance with the school curriculum policy of providing a broad and balanced education to all children. Teachers provide learning opportunities matched to the needs of children with learning difficulties.
Investigate, design, test, evaluate, make
EYFS :
|
Design: By the end of Foundation the learners will know and be able to: |
|
|
Design Design products for themselves and others users communicate their ideas through talking and drawing, Make Select from and use a range of tools and equipment Select from and use a wide range of materials and components |
Evaluate Explore existing products Evaluate their ideas and products Technical knowledge Build structures, exploring ideas about stability and strength Cooking Understand where food comes from. Know about basic food hygiene |
|
Design: By the end of foundation learners achieving typically will be able, with some independence, to: |
|
|
|
|
Design: By the end of foundation learners achieving typically know |
|
|
|
Design technology is part of continuous provision in EYFS. learners have access to wood and tools. They construct with junk and loose parts. A variety of construction kits are available.
KS1 :
|
Design: By the end of KS1 the learners will be able to: |
|
|
Design Design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, templates and mock-ups Make Select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks Select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their characteristics Evaluate Explore and evaluate a range of existing products Evaluate their ideas and products against simple design criteria |
Technical knowledge Build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable Explore and use mechanisms [for example, levers, sliders, wheels and axles], in their products. Cooking Follow a simple recipe washing, peeling, cutting and weighing ingredients Understand where some foods come from. Knowledge of craft workers and designers Explore the work of others and apply ideas to own work Talk about the work of different craft workers and designers |
|
Design: By the end of KS1 learners achieving typically will be able, with increasing independence, to: |
|
|
Generate ideas and make something. Describe how something works. Cut food safely. Make a product, which moves. Make a model stronger. Explain to someone else how he or she wants to make his or her product. choose appropriate resources and tools. Make a simple plan before making. Ask for help to solve problems. |
Think of an idea and plan what to do next. Choose tools and materials and explain choices Join materials and components in different ways. Explain what went well I measure materials to use in a model or structure. Describe the ingredients being used Make comparisons Solve problems with design in context Apply previous learning About some designers, architects and craft workers, the differences and similarities between their work, making links to their own work |
Class one designed new knickers for the queen! They made prototype knickers using their sewing skills for their teddy bears.
They also made hobby horses for the queens stable.
Class 2 made lighthouses linking their work in science and English.
In KS2 :
|
Design: By the end of KS2 the learners will be able to: |
|
|
Design Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design Make Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks, accurately Select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities Evaluate Investigate and analyse a range of existing products Evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work Understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world |
Technical knowledge Apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures Understand and use mechanical systems in their products [for example, gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages] Understand and use electrical systems in their products [for example, series circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors] Apply their understanding of computing to program, monitor and control their products.
Cooking Understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet Prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques Understand seasonality, and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed. Knowledge of craft workers and designers Know about great architects and designers in history and apply this knowledge |
|
Design: By the end of KS2 the learners achieving typically will be able, with increasing independence, to: |
|
|
Evaluate products for both their purpose and appearance. Create a design that meets some set criteria. Produce a plan and explain it. Use ideas from other people when designing. Evaluate and suggest improvements for designs. Improve their work when original ideas do not work. Explain how improvements to original designs Present a product in an interesting way. Follow a step-by-step plan, choosing the right equipment and materials. Choose a textile for both its suitability and its appearance. Select the most appropriate tools and techniques for a given task. Make a product which uses both electrical and mechanical components. Work accurately to measure, make cuts and make holes.
|
Describe how food ingredients come together. Know how to be both hygienic and safe when using food. Come up with a range of ideas after collecting information from different sources , including market research Produce and follow a detailed, step-by-step plan. Suggest alternative plans or refine plans; outlining the positive features and draw backs, justifying choices Explain how a product will appeal to a specific audience, considering culture and society Evaluate appearance and function against original criteria. Use a range of tools and equipment competently. Make a prototype before making a final version. Demonstrate both hygiene and safety in the kitchen. Work within a budget. Draw on the work of designers and architects |
Class 3 made Roman sandals as part of their history project.
This term class 3 are looking at world foods. They made butter in the science unit changing state which they used to create a sandwich (planning, cutting, grating and working to a budget). The next step is to taste a variety of usual ingredients before designing and making a more exotic healthy food choice.
Class 4 are designing and making a buzzer toy to use at a schools council event. This will link work in science to design work.
