Asquith Primary School- Desgin and Technology Overview

Growing to succeed - Design and Technology The Asquith Way    

'Design and technology should be the subject where mathematical brainboxes and science whizzkids turn their bright ideas into useful products.'

James Dyson, British Inventor

'You get to explore materials and learn how things work.'

Asquith Pupil

At Asquith Primary School, we believe Design and Technology develops children’s skills and knowledge in design, structures, mechanisms, electrical control and a range of materials, including food. It encourages children's creativity and encourages them to think about important issues. Design and Technology helps to teach Maths, English and other compulsory subjects on the curriculum in an engaging and exciting manner and helps put these subjects into real life context. D&T gives children the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and understanding of designing and making functional products. We feel it is vital to nurture creativity and innovation through design, and by exploring the designed and made world in which we all live and work.

Our carefully sequenced lessons enable pupils to understand and develop skills as designers and makers. We build strong foundations in our EYFS, support and challenge pupils on their journey through our school, ultimately ensuring that they are equipped with the skills and knowledge that they will need to succeed in the future and be citizens of tomorrow’s world. Our curriculum is underpinned by 5 golden threads: High aspirations for all, Fostering resilience, Embedding key skills, Respecting diversity and Creating global citizens- with the intent that all our children have the opportunity to grow and succeed as designers. 

Intent

Our Design Technology curriculum ensures that children develop the knowledge and skills to creatively design and make products that solve real and relevant problems, considering their own needs and the needs of others. We provide our children with opportunities to develop and use a range of practical skills that prepare them for future learning, adult life and a constantly changing society, increasingly dependent on technology.

We aim to:

• Inspire children through a broad range of practical experiences to create innovative designs which solve real and relevant problems within a variety of different contexts. The design process is fundamental and runs throughout our planning.
• Create a design process which encourages children to identify real and relevant problems, critically evaluate existing products and then take risks and innovate when designing and creating solutions to the problems.
• Provide time to reflect, evaluate and improve on prototypes using design criteria throughout to support this.
• Provide opportunities for children to evaluate key events and study individuals who have helped to shape the world, showing the real impact of design and technology on the wider environment and helping to inspire children to become the next generation of innovators.
• Teach children to follow the cycle of design, make and evaluate in a variety of different contexts. Throughout this, we foster the belief that making mistakes is a valuable part of the design process and integral to learning.
• Develop aspirations through the study of other specialists from a diverse range of backgrounds and places in history, enabling children to explore designers within the environment, as well as developing an understanding of the ever-changing world we live in.
• Build resilience is built through opportunities for them to experiment with possible solutions and techniques. This in turn embeds the understanding that to FAIL is a First Attempt in Learning as not all of their ideas are successful.

Implementation

Design and Technology at Asquith Primary School is taught in skill based units throughout the year, so that children can achieve depth in their learning. Key knowledge and skills in each area of learning are mapped across the key stages, ensuring that knowledge builds progressively and that children develop skills systematically. Units of learning have been chosen to build sequentially, increasing knowledge and skills required for each concept: design, structures, mechanisms, electrical control, textile and food.

The focus on ensuring that the children grow to succeed is implemented by: 

• Developing the understanding of the key knowledge within each unit and across each year group.
• Applying and developing key technical skills through all units of learning. 
• Implementing a clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum. Whilst the EYFS and National Curriculum forms the foundation of our curriculum, we make sure that children learn additional skills, knowledge and understanding and enhance our curriculum as and when necessary.
• Delivering design and technology projects with a clear structure.
• Teaching a range of skills and ensuring that children are aware of health and safety issues related to the tasks undertaken.
• Creating clear and appropriate cross curricular links to underpin learning in many areas across the curriculum and giving the children opportunities to learn life skills and apply skills to ‘hands on’ situations in a purposeful context.
• Learning independently: children are asked to solve problems and develop their learning independently. This allows the children to have ownership over their curriculum and lead their own learning in Design Technology.
• Learning collaboratively: in design and technology children may well be asked to work as part of a team learning to support and help one another towards a challenging yet rewarding goal.
• Developing aspirations through the study of other inventors and designers from a diverse range of backgrounds, times and places.

Impact

Children have clear enjoyment and confidence in design and technology that they then apply to other areas of the curriculum. They understand 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 develop skills and attributes they can use beyond school and into adulthood.

Places to Visit

Paint your own pots https://www.craftyowlspottery.com/

Fun activities https://www.thecreationstation.co.uk/