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 has been carefully designed to encompass all of the requirements of the new national curriculum. A whole school overview clearly sets out a range of projects which ensures that all areas of DT (textiles, mechanisms, electrical systems, structures and food and nutrition) are thoroughly covered in both lower key stage two and upper key stage two. Our progressive framework and Project on a Page planning clearly shows the skills and knowledge that the children will acquire in each DT area, and how this will be built on and progressed from lower key stage two to upper key stage two. Each project will follow the design, make and evaluate process, and teachers have the flexibility to adapt planning to make links with other subjects and current interests (such as local or global events or a local designer etc) to add relevance to learning. Where necessary, schemes of work have been incorporated into the planned curriculum to ensure that newer aspects of the new curriculum (e.g. using a computer program to control a product) are covered effectively and confidently. Children will have access to a range of tools and materials so that they can complete their projects successfully and develop their skills. Through the projects, the children will have access to the knowledge and technical vocabulary required for them to effectively evaluate and build upon their own learning, providing them with essential skills for life.
Impact:
Our Design and Technology curriculum is designed to be engaging and enjoyable for children where they can draw on skills and knowledge from a range of other subjects. The impact of the subject is measured in a number of ways. Progress and skill development is monitored through scrutiny of children’s portfolios which showcase the children’s work in written, pictorial and photographic form. These portfolios are marked and assessed by teachers and added to as the children move through the school, so that coverage and progress can be easily monitored from one year group to the next. Children will also be provided with the opportunity to present and discuss their ideas, including their final products, allowing teachers to assess their understanding and skill development. The subject leader will conduct pupil interviews and request teacher feedback at regular intervals to further measure the impact of the Design and Technology curriculum, as well as identifying any areas for development and staff training opportunities.