Design and Technology
"Just because something doesn't do what you had planned, doesn't mean it is useless." (Thomas Edison)
Intent- Why is Design and Technology so important?
At Arkwright Primary School our overarching policy for Design and Technology aims is to:
- To develop imaginative thinking in children
- To enable them to discuss their likes and dislikes when designing and making
- To develop an understanding of technological processes, products, and their manufacture, and their contribution to our society
- Extend their understanding and appreciation of Design and Technology
- understanding why inventors, past and present, have created work in the way that they have
- Build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users.
- Develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
- To enable the children to draw, model and make their ideas
- To encourage children to select appropriate tools and techniques for making a product, whilst following organised and safe procedures
- To evaluate products during manufacturing and after completion
- To appreciate cost and material constraints
- To foster excellence, enjoyment, satisfaction, purpose and quality in design making.
- Have the opportunities to work both independently and collaboratively
- Experience having their work exhibited in a space that the local community will be invited share the celebration of achievement
- Teachers to use Maestro Curriculum to inform planning, teaching and progression
Implementation- How do we plan, teach and assess Design and Technology?
EYFS
The DT curriculum begins as soon as the children start school in the EYFS. Learning in DT links to the EYFS Statutory Educational Programme: Expressive Art and Design. The activities and enhanced provision in our early years curriculum provide children with the opportunity to construct and create with a range of materials. They are encouraged to work collaboratively and use a range of small and large-scale construction kits to create models. They are introduced to joining techniques, and projects such as Puppets, and Pop-Ups provide the opportunity to explore products to inspire their own designs. Through the curriculum, they build essential knowledge and understanding that they will apply in DT in KS1.
Key Stage One (Year 1/2)
Cycle A |
Year Y1/2 autumn term project: Shade and Shelter |
This project teaches children about the purpose of shelters and their materials. They name and describe shelters and design and make shelter prototypes. Children then design and build a play den as a group and evaluate their completed product. |
Year 1/2 spring term project: Taxi |
This project teaches children about wheels, axles and chassis and how they work together to make a vehicle move. |
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Year 1/2 summer term project: Chop, Slice Mash |
This project teaches children about sources of food and the preparatory skills of peeling, tearing, slicing, chopping, mashing and grating. They use this knowledge and techniques to design and make a supermarket sandwich according to specific design criteria. |
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Cycle B |
Year Y1/2 autumn term project: Push and Pull |
This project teaches children about three types of mechanism: sliders, levers and linkages. They make models of each mechanism before designing and making a greetings card with a moving part. |
Year 1/2 spring term project: Beach Hut |
This project teaches children about making and strengthening structures, including different ways of joining materials. |
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Year 1/2 summer term project: Cut, Stitch and Join |
This project teaches children about fabric home products and the significant British brand Cath Kidston. They learn about sewing patterns and using a running stitch and embellishments before making a sewn bag tag. |
The projects studied in Key Stage 1 provide numerous opportunities for children to explore
Key Stage Two (Year Y3/4)
Cycle A |
Year Y3/4 autumn term project: Cook well, Eatwell |
This project teaches children about food groups and the Eatwell guide. They learn about methods of cooking and explore these by cooking potatoes and ratatouille. The children choose and make a taco filling according to specific design criteria. |
Year Y3/4 spring term project: Making it Move |
This project teaches children about cam mechanisms. They experiment with different shaped cams before designing, making and evaluating a child's automaton toy. |
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Year Y3/4 summer term project: Greenhouse |
This project teaches children about the purpose, structure and design features of greenhouses, and compares the work of two significant greenhouse designers. They learn techniques to strengthen structures and use tools safely. They use their learning to design and construct a mini greenhouse. |
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Cycle B |
Year 3/4autumn term project: Fresh Food, Good Food |
This project teaches children about food decay and preservation. They discover key inventions in food preservation and packaging, then make examples. The children prepare, package and evaluate a healthy snack. |
Year 3/4 spring term project: Functional and Fancy Fabrics |
This project teaches children about home furnishings and the significant designer William Morris. They learn techniques for decorating fabric, including block printing, hemming and embroidery and use them to design and make a fabric sample. |
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Year 3/4summer term project: Tomb Builders |
This project teaches children about simple machines, including wheels, axles, inclined planes, pulleys and levers, exploring how they helped ancient builders to lift and move heavy loads. |
The projects studied in Lower Key Stage 1 provide numerous opportunities for children to explore
Key Stage Two (Year Y5/6)
Cycle A |
Year Y5/6 autumn term project: Moving Mechanisms |
This project teaches children about pneumatic systems. They experiment with pneumatics before designing, making and evaluating a pneumatic machine that performs a useful function. |
Year Y5/6 spring term project: Eat the Seasons |
This project teaches children about the meaning and benefits of seasonal eating, including food preparation and cooking techniques. |
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Year Y5/6 summer term project: Architecture |
This project teaches children about how architectural style and technology has developed over time and then use this knowledge to design a building with specific features. |
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Cycle B |
Year Y5/6 autumn term project: Food for Life |
This project teaches children about processed food and healthy food choices. They make bread and pasta sauces and learn about the benefits of whole foods. They plan and make meals as part of a healthy daily menu, and evaluate their completed products. |
Year Y5/6 spring term project:Engineer |
This project teaches children about remarkable engineers and significant bridges, learning to identify features, such as beams, arches and trusses. They complete a bridge-building engineering challenge to create a bridge prototype. |
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Year Y5/6 summer term project: Make do and Mend |
This project teaches children a range of simple sewing stitches, including ways of recycling and repurposing old clothes and materials. |
The projects studied in Upper Key Stage 2 provide numerous opportunities for children to explore
Assessment through the key stages is continuous and subsequent evaluations inform future planning and delivery.
Analysis of data and monitoring, from our progression ladders, indicates which children are below, towards, working at and above expectations, which is recorded on O Track.
Each week, children have the opportunity to win an Arts Certificate, which is to celebrate Arts completed in the week at school. This enables any child the chance to succeed and win the certificate as it is aimed at Art and other Arts subjects.
Children will feel confident in being able to explore all aspects of Design and Technology, had a broad and balanced curriculum and feel inspired with the skills and knowledge they have been taught for their future.
Check out our great DT from 2022/2023
Autumn Term
KS2 children, children at craft club and Mrs Wells made Christmas Crafts to sell at The Bolsover Secondary Winter Arts Showcase’. Mrs Rowland, Mrs Gould and Mr Roberts sold the crafts at the showcase to raise money for the school.
BIFFA Recycling Morning
What a fabulous morning the children have had today. The School Councillors delivered an assembly on recycling which led on to all children having the opportunity to look how a Biffa Van works, go inside the van and look at different pieces of rubbish to see which bin it needs to go into. Thank you to Mrs Macefield and her team for making this happen. They have kindly donated some prizes for children for our recycling competition. The prizes include Biffa backpacks, Biffa squidgy vans and a Biffa water bottles.
Here are the winners:
Spring Term
Ruth Amos, Children's Youtuber and Engineer
The children had fabulous morning assembly and session we had with Ruth Amos. She delivered an inspiring, enthusiastic and informative assembly on how engineering works, some of the creations that she has made from children’s challenge and how she presents them on kids YouTube.
The children then showed off their design and creativity skills through drawing either a vehicle (KS1) or piece of clothing (KS2) that Ruth may potentially make.
Ruth has said that she looks through all of the designs sent from all over, each month, and then makes one each month. Therefore, not all designs will be made but she will get in contact with me, if she picks one.
Ruth commented on how well the children listened which was great to see and hear too!
Well done Arkwright! You did a fabulous job as always :)