Design and Technology Vision Statement

What is the vision for Design and Technology at The Phoenix Primary School and Nursery?

Intent

At the Phoenix Primary and Nursery School, we want our children to love Design and Technology. We want them to be enthusiastic about their studies, with some children being inspired to pursue careers where Design Technology skills are key.

Design and Technology is dynamic and multidimensional. It is our intention that our D&T curriculum will provide opportunities to solve real and relevant problems, allowing our pupils to develop essential everyday skills and unlock their potential to be the designers and innovators of tomorrow. It is our aim to create strong cross curricular links with other subjects, such as Mathematics, Science, Computing, and Art. We want Design and Technology to prepare our children, to give them the opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences they need to be successful in later life. For example, when pupils learn about cooking, food and nutrition, they will acquire the fundamental life skills to be able to feed themselves healthily and independently, whilst learning about where food comes from. This makes useful connections with their geographical and scientific knowledge. As well as this, during Design and Technology lessons children are exposed to the issue of climate change. For example, during cooking and nutrition D&T projects, children are exposed to sustainable food choices and taught the importance of limiting food waste. Furthermore, children are given a basic understanding of the emerging technologies that are addressing climate change. 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.

Finally, it is important to note that our Design and Technology Curriculum is accessible to all, regardless of gender, race or ability.

How is this vision for Design and Technology to be achieved?

Implementation

Throughout their time at the Phoenix Primary School and Nursery, the children are given a range of opportunities to design and make quality products, using a wide variety of tools, materials and components. Teachers are given ownership and flexibility to plan for Design and Technology; often teaching D&T as a ‘D&T day’ or a block of lessons to allow the time needed for the children to be critical, inventive and reflective on their work.

Each D&T project focuses on a specific element of the National Curriculum:

1. Cooking and nutrition.
2. Mechanisms.
3. Structures.
4. Electrical systems (KS2).
5. Digital world (Linked to Computing).

The curriculum is sequential and so allows the children to build on skills, knowledge and techniques, year on year. Various media types are explored within each unit to give the widest possible range of experiences to all children. The materials and media used are revisited each year to ensure progression of skills previously developed.

• Each child records their D&T projects in their Design and Technology book. Children may use this to research products; develop design ideas and initial sketches; and showcase learned skills, technical knowledge and vocabulary, final designs and evaluations.

• Cross-curricular links are promoted to allow all children to deepen their understanding across the curriculum, including the use of technology, and artworks from year group specific historical, geographical and scientific contexts.
• Opportunities to reflect and develop and chances for self and peer-assessment are planned into each unit of study in KS1 and KS2.
• Children have the opportunity to learn about key technological achievements by famous designers, both originating in this country and from around the world
• Children learn about how technological advances come to shape society. For example, there is extensive discussion as to how information technology impacts on our lives and how this new technology can be used to our advantage.

How does the school know if the Design and Technology curriculum has been effective?

Impact

The teaching of Design Technology will lead to outstanding progress by the end of each Key Stage, relative to a child’s individual starting point and their development of skills. Children will therefore be expected to leave The Phoenix Primary School and Nursery, having reached at least age-related expectations in Design and Technology. Children will be confident in their Design and Technology skills, which they will then apply to other areas of the curriculum.

We ensure that children who are achieving well, as well as those who need additional support, are identified and given the support that they need to reach their full potential in this subject.

Assessment:

At the Phoenix Primary School and Nursery, we assess progress by:

• Determining the extent to which objectives are met within each lesson and overall, at the end of each unit.
• Summative assessment of pupil discussions about their learning.
• Images of the children’s practical learning.
• Interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice).
• Attending moderation staff meetings where pupils’ books are scrutinised and where there is the opportunity for a dialogue between teachers to properly evaluate their children’s work.
• Annual reporting of standards across the curriculum.