Design & Technology
Intent
Design and Technology is an exciting and hands on subject that gives children the opportunity to be both creative and practical. Throughout a child’s time at Greenfield, it is our intention to ensure that each child builds and applies a range of skills, knowledge and understanding related to different aspects of Design and Technology including Cooking and Nutrition.
At Greenfield, we aim to help children understand the Design and Technology process and its role in our fast-changing world. We encourage the children to think innovatively, be creative problem solvers and work both individually and as part of a team, drawing on the knowledge and skills of Design & Technology as well as making links with other subjects (such as numeracy, science and art).
Design and Technology will help children develop ideas by creating high-quality prototypes and eventually making products and systems. They will combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetics, social and environment issues, as well as functions and industrial practises. We encourage children to reflect on and evaluate both current and past technologies, their uses, and their impacts, helping them become informed consumers and potential innovators.
Implementation
Design Technology is taught to all children throughout Key Stage 1, Lower Key Stage 2 and Upper Key Stage 2 in three half termly blocks. It builds on skills that the children will have developed during their time in Early Years (expressive arts and design, and physical development).
Each Phase covers one strand of D&T each term. Over a two year cycle, the children will experience all four strands – textiles, structures, mechanisms and cooking & nutrition. In key stage 2, the children will apply their scientific knowledge of electricity within a context. There is a context at the heart of each unit which gives the children a purpose to their design and technology lessons.
Each unit of work, while covering a strand of D&T, will also develop the children’s skills in designing, making and evaluating. The children will build on the technical skills from phase to phase and in some cases from year to year. This gives the children an opportunity to revisit, revisit and ultimately remember.
While many aspects of Design & Technology are practical in nature, the journey of each unit will be captured in a book in various representations including photographs, design sketches and evaluations.
Impact
The subject coordinator monitors Design and Technology in several ways, ensuring planning is up to date and relevant to the changing world. This includes reviewing children's work during book looks and discussion lesson delivery with teaching staff. These checks help identify areas for improvement, which are then acted upon to enhance teaching and student outcomes.
Evidence of children's work is gathered in various forms, including drawn designs, photos and written evaluations. These are recorded in Design and Technology exercise books, which move with the children through their phase. Children have the chance to reflect on their learning through pupil voice sessions, providing a valuable insight into their understanding of the curriculum and highlighting areas for potential change. This feedback informs future planning and teaching, ensuring continuous curriculum development to happen.
For more information, please click here to see the National Curriculum document