Intent:

At Melbourne Junior School we intend to create a  progressive Design and Technology curriculum that encompasses the skills and knowledge set out by the new National Curriculum and provides children with a range of inspiring and creative projects with in which they can develop their skills for the wider world. Children will learn about real-life innovators, such as inventors, designers and chefs, to allow them to see the importance of Design and Technology and how new ideas can change the world. Furthermore, we will provide children with the opportunity to create a rich variety of products through a range of practical projects which cover the areas of textiles, mechanisms, structures, electrical systems and food and nutrition. Children will learn about the design and make process which will include assessing and determining the user, functionality and purpose of their products. They will conduct research to aid design decisions and will be encouraged to be innovative and original with their thoughts and ideas. The projects will also encourage children to work collaboratively, evaluate and reflect upon their learning, using problem-solving to create appropriate solutions to produce a final product.

Food and nutrition will be taught in each year group to ensure the children understand the importance of healthy eating and develop an appreciation for how food is made and where it comes from. We intend to ensure that all children have the opportunity to acquire the important life skill of preparing food and making healthy food choices.  

Implementation:

Our Design and Technology curriculum aims to inspire children through a broad range of practical experiences which cover the five strands of Design and Technology set out in the National Curriculum: Mechanisms, Textiles, Structures, Electrical Systems and Food Technology. All five strands are covered both in lower key stage two and upper key stage two. Schemes of work from Kapow are used for all strands with the exception of Food Technology where our school resources do not match the Kapow planning. The school has planned its own Food Technology units, taking progression and school resources into account.

Progression between key stages is carefully planned for and documented in the Progression Map. Our use of Vocabulary Triangles and Retrieval questions in every lesson is fundamental in this process.

The iterative design process is fundamental and runs throughout each set of lessons. This iterative process encourages children to identify real and relevant problems, critically evaluate existing products and then take risks and innovate when designing and creating solutions to the problems.

D&T is taught in a cross-curricular context and allows children to apply the knowledge and skills learned in other subjects, particularly Maths, Science and Art.  Pupils may also extend their knowledge of a history or geography topic through Design and Technology lessons.

Visits to or from local industries allow the school to draw on a wide range of DT examples, including: Toyota, Bombardier, Rolls Royce and Severn Trent.  

Impact:

Children will develop an understanding of the design process. The focus on the iterative process will instill in them a desire to always improve their work. They will be able to express themselves creatively and in different ways. Through the use of increasingly complex tools, including ICT, children will develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world. Interpersonal skills, including communication and collaboration,  will also be built on. Children will understand and appreciate how to eat healthily and how to cook.

The impact of the subject is measured through summative assessment, scrutiny of children’s work, discussion with teachers and pupils interviews.