Design Technology

At Elston All Saints the teaching of design and technology involves the application of skills for life.  Pupils develop an authentic creativity and understanding of practical, real-life problem solving.

Intent

We believe that Design and Technology prepares children to look forward and deal with a rapidly changing world. It encourages them to think imaginatively and become problem solvers who can work well independently and with their peers. To ensure our pupils are taught consistently to a high standard, we use Kapow’s Design Technology’s Schemes of Work.

Kapow Primary’s Design and Technology scheme of work aims to inspire pupils to be innovative and creative thinkers who have an appreciation for the product design cycle through ideation, creation, and evaluation. We want pupils to develop the confidence to take risks, through drafting design concepts, modelling, and testing and to be reflective learners who evaluate their work and the work of others. Through our scheme of work, we aim to build an awareness of the impact of design and technology on our lives and encourage pupils to become resourceful, enterprising citizens who will have the skills to contribute to future design advancements.

Our scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of key stage attainment targets in the national curriculum and the aims also align with those in the national curriculum. 

Kapow Primary is an Artsmark partner and is able to support our school on our Artsmark journey, inspiring children and young people to create, experience, and participate in great arts and culture.

Implementation

The National curriculum organises the Design and technology attainment targets under five subheadings or strands:

- Design

- Make

- Evaluate

- Technical Knowledge

- Cooking and Nutrition

The Kapow Design and Technology scheme has a clear progression of skills and knowledge within these five strands across each year group. Our Progression of skills shows the skills that are taught within each year group and how these skills develop to ensure that attainment targets are securely met by the end of each key stage.

Through our Kapow’s Design and Technology scheme, pupils respond to design briefs and scenarios that require consideration of the needs of others, developing their skills in six key areas:

- Mechanisms

- Structures

- Textiles

- Cooking and nutrition (Food)

- Electrical systems (KS2)

- Digital world (KS2)

STEM

Our offer of STEM opportunities outside the classroom is in the form of an extracurricular club. The children have the chance to explore STEM approaches in a fun and engaging way, delivered by an outside provider.

Impact

An evidence record will be kept of the children’s experiences and progress in Design Technology in the form of evidence project folders and photographs stored digitally. Using the Kapow progression of skills and knowledge document teachers are able to accurately assess the level of the children’s work in order to discuss with the children and provide accurate next steps.

After the implementation of Kapow Primary Design and Technology, pupils should leave school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their secondary education and be innovative and resourceful members of society.

The expected impact of following the scheme of work is that children will:

• Understand the functional and aesthetic properties of a range of materials and resources.
• Understand how to use and combine tools to carry out different processes for shaping, decorating, and manufacturing products.
• Build and apply a repertoire of skills, knowledge and understanding to produce high quality, innovative outcomes, including models, prototypes, CAD, and products to fulfil the needs of users, clients, and scenarios.
• Understand and apply the principles of healthy eating, diets, and recipes, including key processes, food groups and cooking equipment.
• Have an appreciation for key individuals, inventions, and events in history and of today that impact our world.
• Recognise where our decisions can impact the wider world in terms of community, social and environmental issues.
• Self-evaluate and reflect on learning at different stages and identify areas to improve.
• Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for Design and technology.

Whole School Design Technology Overview

[pdf 188KB]