Design and Technology

Statement of Intent

Through DT at Oasis Academy Henderson Avenue we endeavour to offer children the chance to use creative thinking and design within a defined purpose. Through creative and practical activities, pupils are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. Wherever possible, we aim to link work with other subjects, especially other STEM subjects. Planned experiences will provide children with the cultural capital to succeed in future life.

Teaching and support staff are aware that DT experiences need to reflect the needs of our pupils and the local community. Through our driver of community, possibilities and mindfulness we plan opportunities to gather the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.

Our DT curriculum is planned and sequenced for each year group to ensure that children recall previous experiences then build the skills and knowledge taught in the previous year group.

Our DT curriculum is designed using the National Curriculum Framework for Design and Technology in Key Stages One and Two and the Chris Quigley Design and Technology scheme of work.

DT should be evidenced in pupils topic books with literacy and numeracy fully integrated into the subject. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present products children develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world.

The DT curriculum provides opportunities for all children to:

·         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.

Statement of Implementation

When designing and making, the children are taught to:

Design
• use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups
• generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design
Make
• select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks (for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing) accurately
• select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities
Evaluate
• investigate and analyse a range of existing products
• evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work
• understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world

Technical knowledge

• apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structure

• understand and use mechanical systems in their products
• understand and use electrical systems in their products
• apply their understanding of computing to program, monitor and control their products

Key skills and key knowledge for D and T have been mapped across the school to ensure progression between year groups. This also ensures that there is a context for the children’s work in Design and Technology; that they learn about real life structures and the purpose of specific examples, as well as developing their skills throughout the programme of study. Design and technology lessons are also taught as a block using the iterative design process so that children’s learning is focused throughout each unit of work.

Statement of 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. 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 assessment is recorded on otrack.

Design Technology is also monitored by the subject leader throughout the year in the form of book monitoring, looking at outcomes and pupil interviews to discuss their learning and understanding and establish the impact of the teaching taking place.