We believe technology to be a vital component of the curriculum. Not only does it give children the opportunity to develop design and construction skills but it also draws on and enhances learning in other areas of the curriculum and develops problem solving skills.

Intent

Design Technology (DT) at Tattershall Primary School 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. It is our intent for the children to become creative problem-solvers, both as individuals and as part of a team. Through our DT Curriculum, 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. In food technology lessons, pupils will be given the opportunity to prepare food safely and hygienically, cook and understand the importance of nutrition and healthy eating, all of which are important life skills. Our DT Curriculum 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.

At Tattershall Primary School we have used the curriculum design model from ‘Kapow Primary’.  Kapow Primary is an Artsmark partner and the curriculum is able to inspire children and young people to create, experience, and participate in great arts and culture.

Implementation

The Design and Technology National Curriculum outlines the three main stages of the design process: design, make and evaluate. Each stage of the design process is underpinned by technical knowledge which encompasses the contextual, historical, and technical understanding required for each strand. Cooking and nutrition has a separate section, with a focus on specific principles, skills and techniques in food, including where food comes from, diet and seasonality.

The National Curriculum organises the Design and Technology Attainment Targets under four subheadings: Design, Make, Evaluate, and Technical knowledge. These subheadings are our primary strands:

● Design

● Make

● Evaluate

● Technical knowledge

Our DT Curriculum has a clear progression of skills and knowledge within these strands and key areas across each year group.

Cooking and nutrition is given a particular focus in the National Curriculum and we have made this one of our six key areas that pupils revisit throughout their time in primary school:

● Cooking and nutrition

● Mechanisms/ Mechanical systems

● Structures

● Textiles

● Electrical systems (KS2 only)

● Digital world (KS2 only)

Through our curriculum, pupils respond to design briefs and scenarios that require consideration of the needs of others, developing their skills in the six key areas.

Each of our key areas follows the design process (design, make and evaluate) and has a particular theme and focus from the technical knowledge or cooking and nutrition section of the curriculum. Our curriculum is a spiral curriculum, with key areas revisited again and again with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revisit and build on their previous learning. Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work including practical hands-on, computer-based and inventive tasks. This variety means

that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with a variety of learning styles.

Lessons are adapted to ensure that they can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are available when required. Knowledge organisers for each unit support pupils in building a foundation of factual knowledge by encouraging recall of key facts and vocabulary.

At Tattershall Primary School Design Technology is taught discreetly from Year 1 to Year 6, mostly through a weekly lesson. Due to our PAN of 20, we have single year group classes for Years R, 1, 2 and 6 and two mixed age classes; Year 3/4 and Year 4/5. In order to meet the needs of our school, we have designed a three-year cycle for the mixed age classes. This has been carefully planned and adapted to ensure that all pupils have access to a progressive curriculum.

For full information about our Design Technology Curriculum (including curriculum design, Knowledge Organisers and assessment procedures) please look at our Curriculum Handbook (Non-Core) here.