Design & Technology Curriculum Journey

Intent

At Oakwood Junior school, we have designed our Design and Technology (D&T) curriculum with the intent that our children will gain a practical understanding of the world around them, and become resilient, independent, creative thinkers with the confidence to use, and build on, their learning outside of the classroom.

We will deliver a curriculum that:

• Will arch the Key Stage 2 (KS2) National Curriculum and prepare children for the journey beyond.

• Facilitates creative learning that provides opportunity for the development of higher order thinking skills.

• Will be scaffolded by excellent teaching practices, allows children to develop functional, appealing products that are aimed at particular individuals or groups and are fit for purpose.

• Promotes analytical thinking, in identifying the features, problems and solutions in products.

• Will challenge children to research information and think for themselves, give reasoned answers, work independently, be enterprising, and develop good resilience and attitudes to learning.

• Builds on prior learning and promotes the progression of skills.

• Creates a fun, enjoyable and engaging environment and memorable learning experiences.

• Allows children to consider the views of others, evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria to improve their work.

Implementation

The D & T Subject Leader oversees the subject, to promote continuous improvement by leading a regular programme of monitoring, evaluation review and sharing of good practice, as well as undertaking regular self-improvement and development activities.  The curriculum incorporates the statutory requirements of the Design and Technology programmes of study and other experiences and opportunities which best meet the learning and developmental needs of the children in our school. 

The teaching, learning and sequencing of the D&T curriculum follows:

• A blocked approach to the Core and other Wider Curriculum which has been implemented, where D&T is to be incorporated as a secondary subject.

• A termly blocked curriculum map detailing potential D&T activities and skills to be incorporated, per term, to allow for appropriate progression and consolidation of skills.

• Creative, fun and engaging cross curricular learning, incorporating the creative curriculum

• Through KS2, children will become proficient at creatively incorporating key elements of D&T into each project; Investigate and Evaluate Activities (IEAs), Focused Tasks (FTs), and Design, Make and Evaluate Assignment (DMEA) activities. 

• Forged links with local food and nutrition, marketing, design and engineering experts, to bring the outside world into the children’s classrooms and create memorable learning experiences.

Impact

The Design and Technology curriculum will:

• Provide opportunities for all children to collaborate, learn from, understand and react to each other’s perspectives and strengths.

• Create an enjoyable, engaging academic outlet for children who may find traditional subjects challenging.

• Give children an insight into how physical products can be created and an understanding of basic concepts used in everyday items.   

• Set a firm foundation of subject skills to create a smooth transition to KS3.

• Children will move through, and leave the school, with the confidence that they can design, make and change products and items and belief that qualifications and careers incorporating D&T are within their capability.