Design and Technology at HCPS is led by Mrs Mead

Intent

Design technology is a subject that prepares children to deal with the rapidly changing world. It should inspire children to question the world around them through becoming creative and critical thinkers and develop both their independent and team working skills. It combines subjects like Art, Science, Computing and Maths, allowing children to develop their problem-solving skills to deal with relevant problems that they will face not only in the classroom but in later life. It should teach them to identify possible gaps in products and design ideas to fill these. Design Technology enables children to develop their understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues as well as allowing them to critically evaluate technology from the past.

The teaching of Design Technology is highly based on the skills that are centred on the production process. Children will be exposed to research opportunities at the beginning of each process and then encouraged to plan, design, make and evaluate their own products. This process is repeated throughout the school to encourage children to become reflective, not only on others’ products, but also on their own ideas.

Implementation

• All children will take part in Design Technology projects several times per year to develop their skills throughout their time at HCPS.
  • All children in Key Stage 1 complete 2 design projects per year and Key Stage 2 complete 3 projects per year.
• All elements of the DT curriculum are taught more than once throughout Years 1 – 6 to ensure children are continually practising and improving their skills.
• Each time children take part in DT, they will complete a full design process: research, plan, make and evaluate. This develops their key skills to enable them to become critical and creative designers.
• Technical knowledge is taught throughout the design process at the appropriate level and knowledge organisers are used to ensure children know and understand the technical vocabulary which is taught within each project.
• All design topics have been chosen carefully to engage the children and compliment the book or influential person that the class is focussing on at the time.

Impact

Through the engaging and challenging Design Technology curriculum, all the children of HCPS will be able to critically evaluate problems they face and be able to design ways to combat these problems. We do not only aim for each child to make good progress within Design Technology throughout their time at HCPS but also to become inspired by the subject and be confident to face future problems in both the classroom and throughout the lives.