Why do we teach Design and Technology? Why do we teach Design and Technology in the way we do?	How do we teach Design and Technology? What does this look like?
By the time children leave our school what will they be able to do?	Web links

At Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, we provide children with an education in Design and Technology that is relevant and useful in their daily lives.

Design and Technology is an inspiring and practical subject which plays a vital role in contributing to a balanced curriculum and creating problem solvers of the future.

It is a subject that encourages children to ‘learn to think’ creatively to solve practical problems both as individuals and through teamwork. We believe that high quality DT lessons will inspire children to be innovative which will help develop their creative, procedural and technical understanding.

We aim to, wherever possible, link DT work to other disciplines such as mathematics, science, computing and art. The children are also given opportunities to explore, reflect upon and evaluate their design and are encouraged to become problem solvers in their own right.


At Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, we use a clear and comprehensive progression of skills which work in line with the National Curriculum. The Design Technology National Curriculum and EYFS is planned for and covered in full within the EYFS, KS1 and KS2 school curriculum. Key concepts and technical vocabulary are also included in planning which follows an overall design, make, evaluate structure. Encouraging the use of technical vocabulary during discussion opportunities links directly into our whole school focus on improving vocabulary.

Clear and appropriate cross curricular links are made to underpin learning across the curriculum, which gives the children opportunities to learn life skills and apply skills to ‘hands on’ situations in a purposeful context. They are exposed to a wide range of media including textiles, food and nutrition and structures; through this, children develop their skills, vocabulary and resilience. Our children are asked to solve problems and develop their learning independently. This allows them to have ownership over their curriculum and lead their own learning in Design Technology. Our children may also be asked to work as part of a team learning group to support and help one another towards a challenging, yet rewarding, goal. Together, they are able to become competent practitioners who can see how Design Technology has helped shape the ever-evolving world we live in, whilst critically evaluating both their own and others work.

When designing and making, the children are taught to:

Design:

• use research and develop a design criterion keeping in mind that the design is innovative, functional, appealing and fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups.
  
  
• investigate and analyse a range of existing products.
  
  
• understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world.
  
  
• generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design.

Make:

• select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks (for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing, as well as chopping and slicing)
  
  
• select from and use a wider range of materials, ingredients and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients.

Evaluate:

• evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and final product and consider the views of others to improve their work.

Children will have clear enjoyment and confidence in design and technology that they will then apply to other areas of the curriculum. Children will ultimately know more, remember more and understand more about Design & Technology, demonstrating this knowledge when using tools or skills in other areas of the curriculum and in opportunities out of school.

As designers' children will develop skills and attributes they can use beyond school and into adulthood.


www.foodafactoflife.org.uk

www.exploratorium.edu

www.lego.com

www.stem.org.uk