Design Technology

“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 Offord Primary School, our Design and Technology prepares our children to deal with tomorrow’s rapidly changing world. It encourages them to become independent, creative problem-solvers and thinkers as individuals and as part of a team working together to achieve and making positive changes to their quality of life. It enables them to identify needs and opportunities and to respond to them by developing a range of ideas and by making products and systems. Through the study of Design and technology, they combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues, as well as functions and industrial practices. This allows them to reflect on and evaluate present and past design and technology, its uses and its impacts.

Our Design and Technology helps all children to become astute and informed future consumers and potential innovators.

 

Intention

It is the intent of Offord Primary School for Design and Technology to be taught in all year groups, progressing through the strands of structures, prototypes, mechanisms, sewing and cooking. Within each key stage children will be taught every strand. As a school, we feel that the teaching of Food Technology and healthy eating is of up most importance and therefore children will cover this every year, progressing in skill and knowledge.

 

Implementation

The teaching of Design Technology across the school follows the National Curriculum through a research, design, plan, make and evaluate approach. Children design products with a purpose in mind and an intended user of the products. Food technology is implemented across the school with children developing an understanding of where food comes from, the importance of a varied and healthy diet and how to prepare this.

 

In Key Stage 1: Within key stage 1 we also aim to develop design, creativity and problem solving through purposeful design projects which promote the children’s skills in developing as individuals and as part of a team. Key stage 1 also aims to promote in children a clear understanding of the importance of healthy eating.

In Key Stage 2: Within key stage 2 we also aim to ensure that key inventions and inventors and the change they have bought on the world are imbedded within our Design Technology units. Our children will investigate and analyse and then support and improve their own projects through evaluation. Impact Assessment of children's learning in Design and Technology is an ongoing monitoring of children's understanding, knowledge and skills by the class teacher throughout lessons. This assessment is then used to inform support and challenge required by the children. Design and Technology is also monitored by the subject leader throughout the year in book monitoring, lesson observations or pupil interviews to discuss their learning and understanding and establish the impact of the teaching taking place.

 

“Technology makes possibilities. Design makes solutions.” John Maeda

Working together to achieve