Design and Technology

Design and Technology at Elburton

Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens.

Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.  – Department for Education.

 

Intent

 

At Elburton Design and Technology is taught throughout the school and is an inspiring, creative and practical subject where pupils can use their imagination and innovation to research, design, make and evaluate a wide range of products. Children learn to develop their own expression and individuality through taking risks in high quality designs and technological experiences.

As pupils progress through the Design and Technology curriculum, it is our clear intention that all pupils gain more experience accumulating and connecting substantive and disciplinary knowledge.

  •          Substantive knowledge (know what) - this is the subject knowledge and explicit vocabulary used to learn about the content of each unit of work.
  •          Disciplinary knowledge (know how) - their knowledge about how designers investigate existing products/ designs and how they design and produce their own products.  It is through this disciplinary knowledge that pupils will steadily become more expert by thinking like a designer.

The design and technology curriculum at Elburton ensures that children are provided with the opportunities to develop creative, technical and practical expertise that enables them to perform everyday tasks confidently. It also strengthens their ability to build and apply knowledge, understanding and skills to design and make products which they can rigorously evaluate and test.

Units of work are informed by the National Curriculum and are sensitive to children’s interests and popular culture. The curriculum at Elburton is planned to ensure that the learning of skills is progressive and builds upon previous knowledge. High quality learning is developed through engagement in designing, making, and evaluative activities, alongside appropriate vocabulary and technical knowledge.

 

Implementation

 

Design and technology is taught in three half termly blocks throughout the academic year and involves a variety of creative and practical activities. These provide many opportunities for the development of the skills, knowledge and understanding needed in the process of designing and making. The children learn about real life structures and explore specific examples.

Links to other curriculum areas, in particular science and computing, are specifically planned for within the subject mapping. The school’s dynamic design and technology curriculum is supported by an extensive range of resources, which are used to support children’s exposure and confidence with the range of different aspects of design. Planning is informed by and aligned with the national curriculum. Staff are supported through the access to the Kapow scheme.

 

Impact

 

The design and technology curriculum at Elburton contributes to children’s creativity, culture and well-being. Children review and evaluate at the start of each lesson to embed and refresh key concepts, this supports the children’s pedagogy and empowers them to be confident to make mistakes in their learning, become resourceful, innovative, and enterprising. Completed design projects and evidence of the design journey within books supports this. Through the evaluation of designs, alongside emphasis placed on the development of questioning pupils learn to think more critically, weigh up evidence and develop their own judgements and ideas. This is supported through the creative outcomes and classroom displays which demonstrate the children’s achievements.

Mrs Charlotte Woodhams

Design Technology Lead

Mrs Emma Johnson

Supporting Lead