Intention

At Thornton Primary, we believe that Design and Technology should be taught in a way that inspires creativity and imagination. Our pupils are encouraged to consider real-life problems: designing, making and evaluating products considering the product, purpose and user.

We aim to inspire pupils to be innovative and creative thinkers who have an appreciation for the product design cycle through drafting design concepts and ideas, creating their product and reflecting on its suitability.

We provide opportunities for our children to research past and present designs and designers, understanding the impact that these products have had on daily life. When designing, children are encouraged to communicate their ideas through diagrams, mock-ups and prototypes. They learn technical knowledge relating to structures, mechanisms, textiles and food technology. They also develop skills when using various tools including scissor, saws and drills, considering accuracy and safety. Our children are encouraged to evaluate and test their ideas and products, ensuing that it meets the initial design brief.

Ultimately, we aim to build an awareness of the impact of design and technology on our lives and encourage out children to become resourceful, enterprising citizens who will have skills to contribute to future design advancements.

Implementation

At Thornton Primary, we utilise Kapow Primary’s Design and Technology scheme of work. This enables pupils to meet the end of key stage attainment targets in the National Curriculum. This is taught in a sequential manner, building on prior learning and preparing for future learning.

The Design 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 technological knowledge which encompasses the contextual, historical and technical understanding required for each strand. These strands are:

• Design
• Make
• Evaluate
• Technical knowledge
• Cooking and nutrition

The scheme of work has a clear progression of skills and knowledge within these five strands across each year group. Attainment targets and progression of skills have been carefully mapped out to ensure they are securely met by the end of each key stage.

Through Kapow Primary’s Design and Technology scheme, pupils respond to design briefs and scenarios that require consideration of the needs of others. It ensures that skills are being developed in:

• Mechanisms
• Structures
• Textiles
• Cooking and nutrition
• Electrical systems (KS2)
• Digital world (KS2)

Each key area follows the design process (design, make and evaluate) and has particular theme and focus for technical knowledge or cooking and nutrition. The Kapow scheme is a spiral curriculum, with key areas revisited with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revisit and build on their previous learning.

Lessons incorporate independent tasks, paired and group work including practical hands-on, computer-based and inventive tasks.

SEND

We seek to inspire all our children, promoting their interests and developing their knowledge and skills. Design and Technology is a subject where children of all abilities can showcase their creativity and skills. The Kapow scheme includes differentiated guidance for every lesson should it be required.

Curriculum Links

Our Design and Technology curriculum enables children to develop knowledge and skills that are transferable to other curriculum areas such as Maths, English and Science. For instance, measuring and sawing wood, drawing labelled diagrams and seeing forces in action. There are many opportunities for children to practise technological skills through Forest School, such as building structures, using pulleys and preparing and cooking soup.

Vocabulary

The Kapow scheme of work includes a comprehensive list of key facts and vocabulary that are to be taught in each unit. Our children are encouraged to use specifically designed knowledge organisers where they can record key facts that they have learnt and definitions of vocabulary.

Impact

The Kapow scheme of work and related knowledge organisers include key learning objectives that are used to assess children’s learning. These are used throughout each unit as ongoing teacher assessment and is recorded on O’Track, reporting if children are “on track” or “not on track”. Additional to this, we return to a unit at a later date through spaced assessment. This may involve a quiz to recall key facts or vocabulary or a task to practise skills.

The expected impact of following the Kapow Design and Technology scheme of work is that children will:

• Understand the functional and aesthetic properties of a range of materials and resources.
• Understand how to use and combine tools to carry out different processes for shaping, decorating and manufacturing products.
• Build and apply a repertoire of skills, knowledge and understanding to produce high quality, innovative outcomes, including models, prototypes, CAD and products to fulfil the needs of users and scenarios.
• Understand and apply the principles of healthy eating, diets and recipes, including key processes, food groups and cooking equipment.
• Have an appreciation for key individuals, inventions and events in history and of today that impact our world.
• Recognise where our decisions can impact the wider world in terms of community, social and environmental issues.
• Self-evaluate and reflect on learning at different stages and identify areas to improve.
• Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National and EYFS curriculum.