Design and Technology

Design and Technology Curriculum Intent 

“Design is intelligence made visible.” Alina Wheeler

At Giles Junior School, through Design and Technology, we aim to develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently. And to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world. Design and Technology is an inspiring, creative and practical subject. The results of it surround us all in everyday life. Children will use skills to research products. Then using their own creativity and imagination children will design and make products for everyday use. They will understand seasonality, the principles of health and nutrition, ingredients and learn how to cook. They will then be encouraged to evaluate their ideas and products and consider the views of others to see how they can improve their work.

Planning – How is D&T taught?

• Teachers to follow curriculum map overview for D & T, which indicates which topics to be taught during the school year.  Curriculum maps also show key vocabulary children are expected to know and what key learning needs to take place. 
• This overview also provides a sequence of lessons outline.
• Teachers to use resources to provide enriched learning and to give opportunities for practical work. 

Planning – When is D&T taught?

• How Teachers block out their D&T topics is up to them. Each topic consists of 4 lessons (unless it is incorporated into other subjects and will therefore take longer).

Strategies for teaching:

• Teachers to use both online and physical resources to support learning.
• Research, Plan, Design, Make and Evaluate is the recommended approach to D&T. 
• Modelling of this through the lessons is required.
• Word banks, sentence starters, images and diagrams to help children in design, planning and writing evaluations.
• Use of the notebook, flipchart, videos, real models/dishes and practical prototypes to engage children.

Marking and Feedback:

• All work to be marked for the next session, daily or weekly depending on how you have set out your topic.
• All work will be marked and will show LO dot or tick to show child’s understanding.
• Yellow highlighter used to show any common spelling errors, including the use of full stops and capital letters.
• Marking is a focus within lessons. Verbal feedback to be given and any edits/corrections to be made by the child in their black pen.
• Final models will be assessed and displayed. Food dishes will be eaten or taken home.

Skills Progression: Research, Plan, Design, Make and Evaluate is taught in every year group throughout Design and Technology and plays an important part in every child’s learning and development.

"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have."  Maya Angelou