Design and Technology Vision Statement
Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you look deeper, it's really how it works."
Steve Jobs
At Lyndhurst Community Primary School, we have devised a curriculum that will enable our children to become creative thinkers, innovators and effective problem solvers. Our curriculum is ambitious and challenging – our children will experience failure- however from this they will become resilient, courageous and most importantly… CREATIVE. With a clear focus on process rather than product our aim is to equip our pupils with the skills and knowledge that are essential for their future education and career paths – imperative for our ever-changing technological world.
Intent:
Our Design and Technology curriculum promotes curiosity and a love and thirst for leaning. Through nurturing their imagination and offering a range of real and relevant problems, we aim to empower our children to become independent learners who are able to work collaboratively in a team to design and make products within a variety of contexts. Considering their own and others needs, wants and values.
Design and Technology is a practical subject and through five Key areas of learning children will develop an understanding of technological processes, products and their manufacture as well as the contribution they make to society. These five areas are; textiles, cooking and nutrition, structures, mechanisms (KS1) and Electrical or Mechanical systems (KS2).
Children will be taught and guided how to choose and use a range of appropriate tools safely, building confidence in their technical and practical expertise to successfully complete everyday tasks confidently. They will be able to talk about how things work, be able to draw and model ideas eloquently.
Implementation:
The design and technology curriculum at Lyndhurst has been carefully built around learning opportunities and assessment milestones for each year group to ensure progression and repetition in terms of embedding key learning, knowledge and skills. With support from the Design and Technology Association, the way in which we teach DT has been revamped to ensure a more consistent structure. Each year group will complete three D&T units per academic year with cooking and nutrition being covered in every year group. Pupils work is displayed in individual DT books that document their learning journey through the design, make and evaluate cycle, which show clear progression across the key stages as they are passed up through each year group. These books offer a safe space for learners to ask questions, critique and evaluate providing an opportunity to develop self-reflection as well as a working record of ideas.
Impact:
We use both formative and summative assessment in design and technology lessons. This is collected through direct observation, discussion with pupils and pupil self-assessment opportunities. We ensure ALL children are given the support they need to reach their full potential in every lesson. Ultimately, we hope our children as designers, will develop skills and attributes they can use beyond school and into adulthood. Developing a critical understanding of the subject and its impact on daily life and the wider world.
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