Design Technology

"Understanding People"

At Bridgelea we are designers and technologists! We want our children to love Design and Technology (DT). We want to provide the children with opportunities to develop and extend skills and an opportunity to express their individual interests, thoughts, and ideas. We want them to have no limits on what their ambitions are and grow up wanting to be architects, graphic designers, chefs, or carpenters. The DT curriculum has been carefully crafted so that our children develop their design and technology capital. We want to engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own designs. As pupils progress, they should be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of DT. Pupils need opportunities to learn about the designers, architects, and engineers who have shaped our world. We want our children to remember their DT lessons in our school, cherish these memories, remember what they have learned, and embrace the DT opportunities they are presented with! 

Curriculum Intent 

• The Design and Technology curriculum promotes curiosity and love and thirst for learning. It is ambitious and empowers our children to become independent and resilient.
• We want to equip them with not only the minimum statutory requirements of the Design and Technology National Curriculum but to prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences of later life. For example, we have a developing outdoor space where the children frequently visit, cultivate and harvest what they grow every year.
• Our 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. 

Curriculum Implementation 

• As a school, we use the Kapow Primary Scheme. The Design and Technology National curriculum outlines the three main stages of the design rocess: 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 five subheadings or strands: 

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

Through Kapow Primary’s Design and technology scheme, pupils respond to design briefs and scenarios that require consideration of the needs of others, developing their skills in six key areas: 

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

Each of the key areas follows the design process (design, make, and evaluate) and has a particular theme and focus from the technical knowledge or cooking and nutrition section of the curriculum. The Kapow Primary scheme is a spiral curriculum, with key areas revisited again and again with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revisit and build on their previous learning. Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, and paired and group work including practical hands-on, computer-based, and inventive tasks. This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with a variety of learning styles. Differentiated guidance is available for every lesson to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are available when required. Knowledge organisers for each unit support pupils in building a foundation of factual knowledge by encouraging the recall of key facts and vocabulary. 

Strong subject knowledge is vital for staff to be able to deliver a highly effective and robust Design and technology curriculum. Each unit of lessons includes multiple teacher videos to develop subject knowledge and support ongoing CPD. Kapow Primary has been created with the understanding that many teachers do not feel confident delivering the full Design and technology curriculum and every effort has been made to ensure that they feel supported to deliver lessons of a high standard that ensure pupil progression. 

Curriculum Impact 

The impact of Kapow Primary’s scheme can be constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Each lesson includes guidance to support teachers in assessing pupils against the learning objectives. Furthermore, each unit has a unit quiz and knowledge catcher which can be used at the start and/ or end of the unit. After the implementation of Kapow Primary Design and technology, pupils should leave school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their secondary education and be innovative and resourceful members of society. 

The expected impact of following the Kapow Primary 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 fulfill the needs of users, clients, 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. 

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