Design and Technology Curriculum
At Wheelock we aim to provide children with a DT education that is relevant in our rapidly changing world. We want to encourage our children to become problem solvers who can work creatively on a project with confidence and resilience. We believe that high-quality DT lessons will inspire children to think independently, innovatively and develop creative and technical understanding. Our DT lessons provides children with opportunities to research, represent their ideas, explore and investigate, develop their ideas, make a product and evaluate their work. Children will be exposed to a wide range of media and through this, children will develop their skills, vocabulary and resilience to become resourceful, innovative and enterprising individuals.
Pedagogy
In the EYFS, pupils explore and use a variety of media and materials and develop skills through a combination of child initiated and adult directed activities.
The teaching of Design Technology across key stage one and two follows the National Curriculum. Children design products with a purpose in mind and an intended user for 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. Children will be encouraged to develop cooking skills for both sweet and savoury food.
Design and technology is a crucial part of school life and it is for this reason that as a school we are dedicated to the teaching and delivery of a high quality Design and Technology curriculum; through well planned and resourced projects and experiences. At Wheelock, we provide a variety of opportunities for DT learning to take place inside and outside the classroom. Previously, we have had a ‘Teepee Day where the teachers plan fun, engaging, creative activities linked to a theme.
Design Technology lessons are taught in a block, during a ‘DT day’ or as a series of lessons weekly. Following the curriculum map, teaching will focus on a specific unit of DT, making links to the topic where possible. Whilst following the curriculum map, children will have key skills for each unit which the children will have the opportunity to learn. These skills are progressive and are built upon throughout their time at Wheelock.
Alongside the DT lessons, children could experience DT when completing the STEM Mission. The STEM mission will focus is on deepening student understanding and developing creative and critical thinking skills within an authentic context.
Aims
The national curriculum for design and technology aims to ensure that all pupils:
- Develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
- Build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users.
- Critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others.
- Understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.
We hope that as the children move on from Wheelock Primary School to further their learning, that their creativity, passion for learning and high aspirations travel with them.
Assessment
In EYFS children work will be found on Tapestry and in KS1 and KS2 children have individual Design Technology books.
The impact of our Design Technology lessons can be seen not only in our children’s books but also through displays in the school environment.
We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:
- Feedback in individual books
- Looking at images of the children’s practical learning and evaluating
- Interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice).
- Pupil’s books are scrutinised and there is the opportunity for a dialogue (verbal feedback)
- More recently success criteria have been introduced to use in KS2. This will be introduced to KS1. Through this, children will evaluate their learning, as well as their teacher.