Design & Technology
At Fairfield Park Lower School, we value Design Technology. WE ARE DESIGNERS and TECHNOLOGISTS!
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.
They are taught basic cooking skills and make a variety of dishes, both savoury and sweet. Skills are taught progressively to ensure that all children are able to learn and practice in order to develop as they move through the school.
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.
For our Progression of Skills in Design Technology, please click the following link:
DT Progression of Knowledge and Skills Yr Rec - Yr 4
Intent
At Fairfield Park Lower School, we encourage children to see and appreciate the thought, effort, creativity and skills that have gone into the making of the modern world we live in, from the clothes we wear to the chairs we sit on. We give children opportunities to evaluate designs and products and to learn about the inventors, creators and designers of the past and present; to appreciate the work that has gone before them and to take that knowledge and create with confidence, excitement and purpose.
We want our pupils to experience the satisfaction of finding solutions to problems and improving products by designing, creating, making and evaluating their own products, in all five areas of Design Technology:
- Cooking and Nutrition
- Mechanisms
- Structures
- Textiles
- Electrical Systems
Pupils at Fairfield Park learn skills for life through fun, exciting and challenging Design Technology projects and are given the time to develop their practical skills, which are progressively built on each year.
They are given opportunities to develop their values by showing care, respect and thoughtfulness in their designs and to support the school community around them in various projects, displays and events whilst being as eco-friendly with equipment and resources as possible.
Implementation
At Fairfield Park Lower School, we have a clear and comprehensive scheme of work mapped from the National Curriculum documents and the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS) showing clear intent and progression of skills from Nursery to Year 4.
In each year group from Year 1 to Year 4, Design Technology is taught in topic linked projects each term. Every year, pupils will have opportunities to develop their practical skills in cooking, mechanisms and structures, and textiles. In year 4, they will also learn about and make electrical systems. Running through each project, there is also the development of designing, creating, making and evaluating skills. All projects stem from designing a product to find a solution and create for a purpose, as in the real world.
In EYFS, children begin to acquire the basic skills for making and designing through exploring thoughtful provision in their Child Initiated Learning time and adult led activities. This foundation to Design Technology lessons is set out in the Expressive Arts and Design: Creating with Materials section of the EYFS Framework 2020.
Assessment of children's learning in Design Technology is an ongoing monitoring of children's understanding, knowledge and skills by the class teacher, throughout lessons. This assessment is then used to inform differentiation, support and challenge required by the children. Class teachers record a summative assessment each term on Target Tracker.
Design Technology is also monitored by the subject leader throughout the year in the form of book monitoring, looking at outcomes and pupil interviews to establish the impact of the teaching taking place.
Impact
- Children will be inspired to create design solutions and find satisfaction in completing well thought out products.
- Children will learn skills for life including how to prepare and cook healthy meals; sew on a button; use materials available to them.
- The majority of children will reach age related expectations at the end of each stage or key stage of learning.
- Children will have the skills to evaluate their own work and the work of others in a positive and useful manner.
- Children will take risks, try new things and challenge themselves to improve, by following the school values.
- Children will apply their skills from Art, Science, Maths and English to support their learning in Design Technology.
- Children will have a passion for the subject.
Learning Snapshot
