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Design and Technology

Intent

At Preston Manor Lower School, we teach high-quality Design Technology lessons which we hope will inspire children to think innovatively and develop creative procedural understanding. The skills they acquire are applied to their cross-curricular topics, allowing children to use their Design Technology skills to reflect on and explore topics in greater depth. 

Design Technology is organised into a long-term plan identifying which units of learning will be covered across the year, ensuring that it is broad and balanced, enjoyable and engaging, challenging and meets the needs of all learners in our school. Sequenced lessons ensure that there is progression. Knowledge and skills are built upon across the half-term. Progression is also clear across the year groups.

It provides opportunities for children to develop as independent, confident and successful learners with high aspirations, who know how to make a positive contribution to their community and the wider society.

From Reception to Year 6, children will increase their long-term memory by building a bank of knowledge and skills which they can apply across the curriculum. Through teaching these units of learning, the teachers will further develop their subject knowledge of the subjects they are teaching.

By the end of Reception, the children are taught to represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music and dance. For example, making a collage to depict the story of ‘The Little Red Hen’.

They safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.

By the end of KS1, the children will be able to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas. They are also taught to improve their mastery of design technology techniques, including using equipment such as knives, sewing needles, saws and joining techniques. They also explore works done by architects and designers in history.

By the end of KS2, the children are taught to develop their own techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of design.

Implementation

The curriculum incorporates the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum 2014 and other experiences and opportunities which best meet the learning and developmental needs of the children in our school.

Design Technology is planned and taught for a half-term, or can be taught in blocks. Displays will support, reflect and celebrate the children’s learning. 

CPD has been planned across the year to support the teaching and learning process, focussing on planning, challenge, questioning and developing cultural capital.

Impact

Enjoyment of the curriculum promotes achievement, confidence and good behaviour. Children feel safe trying new things.

In Design Technology, children will be very clear about why they are learning the content taught to them. By the end of the unit of learning, the children will have acquired new vocabulary and new knowledge, which they will be able to recall and improve their long-term memory. They will be able to use the skills they have learnt in the curriculum. Children will make progress over time, which will be clear in their books. The subject knowledge and pedagogy of learning for teachers will be improved. Individual teachers will be supported through targeted CPD.