Curriculum Intent
It is the intent of St Thomas for Design Technology to be taught in all year groups through at least one topic per term, which includes one topic relating to cooking and nutrition.
Key objectives of intent within the Design Technology Curriculum are:
- Products are to be made for a purpose.
- Individuality should be ensured in children’s design and construction of products.
- Delivery of the two strands: Designing and Making and Cooking and Nutrition.
- More emphasis to be given on creating ‘innovative’ products in KS2.
- Teaching the importance of making on-going changes and improvements during making stages.
- Looking into seasonality of ingredients and how they are grown, caught or reared.
- The introduction of computing and coding of products in KS2.
- Researching key events and individual designers in the History of Technology in KS2.
Implementation
The teaching of Design Technology across the school follows the KAPOW Scheme and every year group plans for three DT areas to be taught across the year. A DT Knowledge Organiser is created for each term. 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.
Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject, requiring creativity, resourcefulness, and imagination. Pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts. It is very cross – curricular and draws upon subject knowledge and skills within Mathematics, Science, History, Computing and Art. Children learn to take risks, be reflective, innovative, enterprising and resilient. Through the evaluation of past and present technology they can reflect upon the impact of Design Technology on everyday life and the wider world.
Impact
Assessment of children’s learning in Design 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 differentiation, support and challenge required by the children. Summative assessment is conducted termly by class teachers across each year group of the school to inform the subject leader of progress or skills and knowledge still to be embedded. This is recorded on our school assessment trackers. Design Technology is also monitored by the subject leader throughout the year in the form of monitoring, looking at outcomes and pupil interviews to discuss their learning and understanding and establishing the impact of the teaching taking place.
