Intent

Design and technology prepares children to take part in the development of tomorrow’s rapidly changing world. Creative thinking encourages children to make positive changes to their quality of life. The subject encourages children to become autonomous and creative problem-solvers, both as individuals and as part of a team. It enables them to identify needs and opportunities and to respond by developing ideas, and eventually making products and systems. Through the study of design and technology, they combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues, as well as of functions and industrial practices. This allows them to reflect on and evaluate present and past design and technology, its uses and its impacts. Design and technology helps all children to become discriminating and informed consumers and potential innovators.

Our objectives in the teaching of design and technology are to:

• develop imaginative thinking in children and to enable them to talk about what they like and dislike when designing and making things;
• enable children to talk about how things work, and to draw and model their ideas;
• encourage children to select appropriate tools and techniques for making a product, whilst following safe procedures;
• explore attitudes towards the made world and how we live and work within it;
• develop an understanding of technological processes and products, their manufacture and their contribution to our society;
• foster enjoyment, satisfaction and purpose in designing and making things;
• develop the cross-curricular use of design and technology in other subjects.

Implementation

The teaching of Design Technology across the school follows the National Curriculum. Children start with real world situations and design products with a purpose in mind and an intended user of the products. Children are encouraged to solve problems independently throughout the process. Food technology is implemented across the school with children developing an understanding of where food comes from, the importance of a varied and healthy diet and how to prepare this.

Impact

As a result we have given children skills and knowledge for the real world, including health, hygiene and nutrition. The children have developed their independent thinking and problem solving and have an insight into future possible careers.