The Subject Leader:
As Design and Technology lead at Eaton Park, my role is to lead, monitor, develop and support DT across the school ensuring that teachers have the subject knowledge, skills and resources to deliver interesting and challenging projects. I monitor the teaching of D&T through work scans, learning walks and pupil surveys. In addition to this, children are spoken to about their learning with an emphasis on making links between past learning in D&T and learning from other subjects. The DT progression map provides the objectives to be taught in each year band, and this is used to monitor what has been delivered and how the concepts already taught can be built upon. Within my role, I also ensure that I am equipped to lead the subject effectively and confidently through research and continuous learning. I am determined to develop a wider range of DT opportunities and challenging projects across the school.
The Curriculum:
The National Curriculum provides objectives for Design and Technology in KS1 and KS2.
National Design and Technology Curriculum
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
Early Years Foundation Stage:
Within the area of Expressive Arts and Design, Children in the Early Years are given opportunities to develop their skills in making and constructing with a purpose in mind using simple skills, techniques and a variety of resources. These can include building basic skills using specific equipment (including scissors, hole punches and split pins) to assemble creations through threading, joining and shaping. Pupils also use blocks and construction kits to build imaginative and complex small worlds while using folding techniques to make fans, books and stairs.
Assessment for learning:
Assessment in Design and Technology is carried out to gain an understanding of the children’s achievements, to ensure knowledge and skills are retained and to see their next steps. It is gathered through formative assessment systems. Discussions with children, knowledge recalls and quizzes are used well to assess the knowledge which the children have retained. These highlight strengths across the academy and provide next steps to support developing pupils’ knowledge and skills further through the enhancement of teaching and learning.
D&T within other curriculum subjects:
SMSC
Spiritual – Spiritual development is very important in DT as the process of creative thinking and problem solving lies at the heart of this subject. We encourage our pupils to be innovative and therefore inspirational to others. This results in high self-confidence and belief in their own abilities.
Moral – During the planning and making process, pupils are encouraged to consider the moral and ethical issues that can arise. For example, the safety of the product made for the consumer and the environmental impact of materials used.
Social – Design and Technology lessons aim to provide a range of opportunities for social interactions. The subject enables children to listen to others as well as use their own ideas. Also, children accept that the ideas of others may not be the same as their own but are equally valid.
Cultural – Design and Technology often presents opportunities to develop a wider cultural awareness. These are explored through the stimulus of foods, textiles, pottery and sculptures from different cultures and periods of time.
English – Pupils have many opportunities to further develop their English skills within Design and Technology lessons. Writing skills are used throughout the designing and evaluating stages, and children are encouraged to ask and answer questions throughout their D&T lessons. Speaking and listening opportunities are a golden thread through the exploration and review processes, with pupils sharing and evaluating their ideas in pairs, groups and as a class.
Maths – Maths provides very close links to D&T as pupils use and apply mathematical concepts in a range of contexts. Pupils use their measurement knowledge when designing and making and also during food projects. In addition, knowledge of shape is used when designing and making structures.
Science – Many DT projects include science concepts which have already been taught, and therefore clear links are identified between these two subjects. In KS1, children learn about healthy foods in Science, and this knowledge is then built upon in D&T when they prepare healthy dishes. Also, pupils learn about the properties of different materials in Science which enables them to build structures in D&T using appropriate materials. In KS2, pupils also apply their scientific knowledge of circuits to use electrical systems in products.
Computing – Where appropriate, pupils generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through Information and Communication Technology.
History – pupils are able to use their historical knowledge to make links that enhance their ability to design and create effective products. These include creating a moon buggy suitable for Neil Armstrong in Year 2 and building a Roman aqueduct in Year 4.
Geography – as with history, geographical understanding is applied to ensure that products are purposeful and fit the target criteria. These include building a monsoon-proof roof for the Amazon rainforest in Year 5, constructing earthquake-proof buildings in Year 3 and making insulated shelters for polar explorers in Year 6.
Enrichment:
As part of our Friday afternoon enrichment programme, each year band completes their food technology sessions over a half termly period. This includes gaining an understanding of diet and healthy eating, building up to cooking a healthy meal, as well as a sequence of baking that includes creating bread, cookies and cupcakes. Within the whole-school ‘Night at the Museum’ project, pupils apply their DT skills to construct displays and create interactive resources to showcase their knowledge of a period of history that they have learnt about.
Our after school clubs allow children to further develop an interest and extend their learning. We have many which are closely linked to D&T including EYFS Little Cooks, KS1 cooking, KS2 Chefs, allotment club and KS1 and KS2 Creative Clubs.
Through our Aspirations Week, pupils gain an awareness of how the skills involved in DT can be used in careers that they hope to achieve in the future. Healthy Lifestyles Week also provides further opportunities to make links between the benefits of healthy foods and exercise in supporting the body.
Pupil Voice:
“DT is where you get to use different materials to make and build different things.”
“It is important to change your ideas if they don’t work first time round.”
“Buildings need to be strong and sturdy so that they stand properly and don’t fall down.”
“We made fire engines in DT and learnt how to make wheels move.”
“We decided to use plastic as it was much better at being waterproof than other materials.”
“I’m pleased that my creation stayed standing and could insulate the warmth.”
