The Woodfield Design Technology Curriculum

Intent

At Woodfield, we believe that design technology (DT) is an exciting, creative and practical subject which enables children to use their creativity and reasoning to solve problems in a range of relevant contexts.   DT encourages children to begin to see how everything around them is man-made as a designed object and to consider how designers have created objects with the user and purpose in mind.  DT draws on other areas of the curriculum and gives children excellent opportunities to apply their learning, for example, careful measuring of doweling when making axels for a vehicle.  

Through the DT curriculum at Woodfield all children have the opportunity to work practically with a range of tools, materials and techniques. We include opportunities to solve problems in all areas of the subject: food, textiles and mechanisms (structures, levels & sliders, wheels & axles).  Our DT curriculum encourages children to consider the user and purpose of their items each time they design a product.  They consider what the needs of the user are and how their products need to match the user’s needs whether they are designing for themselves, another real user or a fictional character.  

Throughout the DT curriculum, children are expected to use the ‘Learning Powers’. For example, they need to work co-operatively when exploring different ways to join materials to find a way that makes a stable structure. Every problem they solve in DT requires them to be curious and use their reasoning skills and, when they come up against challenges, they will need to be resilient until they solve the problem. The ‘Learning Powers’ are very useful learning tools for all children in DT and their use encourages the children to be free thinking, creative, independent learners. We endeavour to ensure that the DT curriculum we provide inspires children to be excited about design technology, curious about the designed world and enthusiastic problem solvers who use their ideas and resources in creative, innovative ways. 

Implementation 

The DT curriculum at Woodfield follows the National Curriculum.  Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making.  

When designing and making, children are taught to: 

Design: 
• design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on given design criteria 

• generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing and annotated sketches.  

Make: 
• Select from and use a wide range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks accurately (for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing, as well as chopping and slicing). 
• Select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and where appropriate, taste. 

Evaluate: 
• Explore 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. 
Technical knowledge: 

• build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable 

• explore and use mechanisms in their products, for example, levers, sliders, wheels and axles. 

SEND and Design Technology 

Effective quality first teaching is the key to enabling all children to fully participate and develop their Design Technology knowledge and skills.  Adaptive teaching within lessons is a vital component to ensure that a balance of support and challenge is achieved by all learners with scaffolded learning to support all.  This could include the pre-teaching of relevant vocabulary, providing visual clues, questioning, or practical support.  Children with SEND are closely supported, in line with their EHCP's and PCP’s.   

Impact 

The long term plans and progression documents ensure that the Government recommendations for coverage are taught across the school and that progression is demonstrated.  The DT curriculum has been planned so that children are excited about the subject and become enthusiastic problem solvers who use their ideas and resources in a creative, innovative way. 

At Woodfield Infant School, our children will have: 

• become confident, proficient, creative designers with the ability to express themselves.  

• meaningful, memorable learning experiences that will last a lifetime. 

• a richer vocabulary which will enable them to articulate their understanding of taught concepts. 

• high aspirations, which will see them through to KS2 and beyond.  

• developed skills and attributes they can use beyond school and into adult hood.   

End of Key Stage One Expectations

By the end of Key Stage 1, as designers, children will be able to:

• Design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria.
• Select from and use a wide range of materials, tools and equipment.
• Evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria.
• Build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable and explore and use mechanisms in their products.