Design and Technology- Subject Leader Mrs Clode

Our learning Intent in Design and Technology at Chandler's Ford Infants

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn” Benjamin Franklin.

At Chandlers Ford Infant School Design and Technology is a vital component of our curriculum which brings learning to life. Our intent is that our scheme of work inspires all pupils and gives them the opportunity to be innovative, independent, creative problem-solvers. We want our pupils to appreciate the product design cycle of ideation, creation, and evaluation

Our vision and values are at the core of everything we do and we believe that Design and Technology prepares children to deal with tomorrow's rapidly changing world. We want our pupils to use a "growth mindset" and have the confidence to take risks and be reflective learners. Our intent in our scheme of work is to build an awareness of the impact of design technology on our lives, as well as encouraging our student to be resourceful, enterprising citizens who are astute and informed future consumers, designers and innovators.

Our Design and technology scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of key stage attainment targets in the National Curriculum and in EYFS (Reception) we provide opportunities for pupils’ to work towards the Development matters statements and the Early Learning Goals.

Chandler's Ford Infant School is a Hampshire "Trailblazer" school and a Green flag Eco-School. Our curriculum aims therefore always support and inspire children to make a positive impact on our planet, .

Implementation

The Design and Technology experiences that the children undertake at our school have been carefully designed. Each project ensures that the children engage in authentic problems which have a clear purpose, user and functionality. We know that children love making decisions for themselves and learning through practical experiences. We ask our children to make their own design decisions and we encourage them to be innovative and original in their thinking. creating products that they can see, touch and even taste. Each project has strong links to the topics being covered in class and also draws upon many other areas of the curriculum including science, maths, literacy and art.

To ensure high standards of teaching and learning we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. We draw on past learning and there is a strong golden thread running through topics. This enables children to acquire knowledge and skills at a deeper level.

When teaching Design and Technology, it is engaging, broad and balanced, providing a variety of opportunities for learning to take place both inside and outside the classroom.

During their time at Chandlers Ford Infant school all children will get to acquire and practically apply their knowledge and understanding of materials and components, mechanisms and structures, existing products and health and safety.

In KS1 our children are taught to:

• Use a range of materials creatively to design and make products
• develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks 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 for a wide range of users
• critique, evaluate and test their ideas and product and the work of other
• understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook

Each project develops a progression of skills these are:

Designing

Making

Evaluating

Each stage of the design process is underpinned by technical knowledge which encompasses the contextual, historical, and technical understanding required for each strand. In addition to this each year group undertakes a cooking and nutrition project

Chandler's Ford Infant school's Design and technology scheme has a clear progression of skills and knowledge within these five strands across each year group.

Early Years Foundation Stage During the EYFS pupils explore and use a variety of media and materials through a combination of child initiated and adult directed activities. They have the opportunities to learn to:

• Use different media and materials to express their own ideas

• Use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about form, function and purpose

• Make plans and construct with a purpose in mind using a variety of resources

• Develop skills to use simple tools and techniques appropriately, effectively and safely

• Select appropriate resources for a product and adapt their work where necessary

• Cook and prepare food adhering to good health and hygiene routines

Our National curriculum mapping shows which of our units cover each of the National curriculum attainment targets as well as each of the five strands. Our Progression of skills shows the skills and knowledge that are taught within each year group and how these skills develop to ensure that attainment targets are securely met by the end of Year 2.

Our lessons are delivered using a wide range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work and each lesson includes practical hands-on, inventive tasks developing technological knowledge. Lessons are engaging and designed for a variety of learning styles. Every lesson has differentiation guidance to reduce or stretch the learning to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils.

The Impact of Design Technology 

Through the study of Design and Technology, our children acquire a wide range of practical, social, aesthetic and thinking skills as well as knowledge and understanding of the design process. They also will develop an enjoyment and confidence in Design and Technology that they can apply to other areas of the curriculum.

Pupils should leave our school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in the next stage of their learning journey in Key Stage 2 at their junior school. 

The impact of our Design and Technology scheme is monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Each lesson includes guidance to support teachers in assessing pupils against the learning objectives.

Our Design and Technology curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression.

We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

• Formative assessment of children’s understanding of each lesson and linked vocabulary
• Summative assessment of pupils attainment at the end of year which shows which pupils are below expected and the greater depth pupils.
• Formative discussions during a topic about their learning.
• Working wall showing the learning journey during a topic
• Images and videos of the children’s practical learning.
• Interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice) monitoring what they produce and their skills and understanding
• Producing development plans reflecting on each year and next steps

Here are some web sites you might like to use at home:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/do-you-know

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/bitz-and-bob

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/subjects/zb9d7ty

https://www.data.org.uk/

https://www.stem.org.uk/audience/primary