Intent

It is the intent of The Kennet Federation for Design Technology to be taught in all year groups through at least one topic per term, which includes one topic relating to food. Design Technology projects are often made cross curricula, with designs reflecting their own individuality.  During their time at The Kennet Federation, children will have the opportunity to design, make and evaluate a range of high quality, functional, technical and nutritional products. The DT curriculum reflects the needs of its learners and where children need extra support, this is provided to prevent barriers to learning.

Implementation

The key skills we teach the children are: cooking and nutrition, mechanisms/mechanical systems, textiles, structures, electrical systems and the digital world.  All teaching of DT follows the design, make and evaluate cycle.  Each stage is taught through skills relevant to the children’s year group.  The design process is routed in real life and relevant contexts to give meaning to learning.  Children are able to evaluate their own products against a design criteria. Children are encouraged to reflect upon their achievements and take responsibility for their learning.

Design:

Children are taught research skills to inform the design of products that are fit for purpose.

Children design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria.

Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer aided design.

Make:

Children have access to a range of tools to perform practical tasks including cutting, shaping, joining, finishing and programming.

Children select from a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities.

Evaluate:

Children analyse a range of products before evaluating their own product against their design criteria. Children are encouraged to consider how they could improve their work. To 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 structures. Understand and use mechanical systems in their products, for example, gears, pulleys, cams, linkage, levers, sliders, wheels and axles.

Understand and use electrical systems in their products.

Apply their understanding of computing to program, monitor and control products.

Cooking and Nutrition:

Use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare and cook dishes using a range of cooking techniques. Understand where food comes from. Understand seasonality and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.

Impact

At the end of the children’s time at The Kennet Federation, as children transition to secondary school, we aspire that pupils will have gained knowledge and understanding of different skills and techniques required to problem solve by designing and creating a variety of products using a safe and creative approach.  They will have an understanding of the cross curricular elements within the subject and the importance of skills taught in other areas of the curriculum and how these aide the design and make process, as well as gaining life skills that will help in future life and learning.

Scheme of Work:

We follow the Kapow Scheme of Work for Design and Technology and are unable to publish the scheme unless it is password protected due to copyright.

The Progression of Design and Technology document is available so please contact us if you would like to receive a paper copy.