D.T.

At Oak Tree Primary School we understand that Design and Technology is a an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject, which encourages pupils to use their creativity and imagination to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts.  We understand that D.T. provides the pupils with the opportunity to be creative and can also help with the children's wellbeing and improve their health and happiness. It also helps to develop their critical thinking and the ability to interpret the world around us.

The National Curriculum for D.T.

Purpose of study

Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.

Intent

At Oak Tree Primary School have designed a Design Technology curriculum which is inspiring, rigorous, and practical. We want our children to use creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. We intend for all children to acquire appropriate subject knowledge, skills and understanding as set out in the National Curriculum. It is our aim to create strong cross curricular links with other subjects, such as Mathematics, Science, Computing, and Art. We want Design and Technology to prepare our children, to give them the opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences they need to be successful in later life.

Implementation

At Oak Tree Primary School we believe that Design and Technology is a crucial part of the school curriculum and we are dedicated to the delivery of high quality sessions.  A well thought out, whole school, yearly overview of the DT curriculum allows for skill and knowledge progression across year groups in all areas of DT (textiles, mechanisms, structures, food and electrical systems).  Each year group will access three D.T. topics a year and the curriculum is designed so that key concepts are revisited year on year to consolidate pupil understanding. 

Teachers are provided with the ownership and flexibility to plan for Design and Technology and use the D.T Association’s ‘Planning on a Page’ to help with the delivery and sequencing of lessons.  However, the structure of a unit follows this process in every year group:

• Investigative and evaluative activities
• Focussed tasks where pupils are taught specific technical knowledge, designing and making skills
• Planning and designing
• Making
• Evaluating

As a school, we promote Design and Technology in the wider school through our garden area where children grow and harvest their own produce.

Impact

Our Design and Technology curriculum enables and encourages our children to become critical thinkers. They look at existing designs to analyse and assess the effectiveness of products and then they consider ways of redesigning and reconstructing it to meet a design brief.  As children progress through the school, they learn to take risks and become resourceful, innovative and enterprising individuals. Children learn to be passionate and excited by the designing and making of products including working with, preparing and tasting food. Learning is assessed through the analysis of the pupil’s ability to evaluate, design, make and improve their own work.