Progression of skills in Design and Technology
At King's Gate Primary School, pupils use creativity and imagination to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines, such as: mathematics, science, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful and innovative. 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. There is a policy of inclusion for all our learners at King's Gate Primary School and we endeavour to make cross-curricular links whenever and wherever possible.
Aims
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.
Planning
Each year group receives the following D & T sessions; textiles, structures and mechanisms (to include circuits and switches and wheels and pulleys), cooking and nutrition.
It is at the discretion of each class teacher when in the academic year they wish to teach each area.
Foundation Stage
Children in Foundation Stage will undertake investigative and skills-based tasks during independent working time. The Design and Technology area will be available to them and they will be encouraged to undertake focused practical tasks through directed and self-initiated stimuli. They will be provided with resources based on topics within the focus of the classroom and will be encouraged to design and develop ideas independently. Children in Foundation Stage work on a range of creative themes and their work in Creative Development links closely to other areas of the Foundation Stage Profile, especially Physical Development and Science.
Key Stage 1
Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an interactive process of designing and making. They work in a range of relevant contexts, for example: the home and school, gardens and playgrounds, the local community, industry and the wider environment. When designing and making, pupils are taught 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, mock-ups and, where appropriate, information and communication technology.
Make
Select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks, for example: cutting, shaping, joining and finishing.
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 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.
Key Stage 2
Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an interactive process of designing and making. They work in a range of relevant contexts, for example: the home, school, leisure, culture, enterprise, industry and the wider environment. When designing and making, pupils should be taught 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 th
rough 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, for example: cutting, shaping, joining and finishing, 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.
In Key Stage One and Two, the Design, Make and Evaluate skills will be used throughout every topic, including the topic focussing on cooking and nutrition.
Design and Technology topics will alternate with Art and Design topics, to ensure they are covered for a whole term.
