Design Technology

WEST MEADOWS PRIMARY SCHOOL

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

At West Meadows Primary School, we intend to build a Design and Technology curriculum which enables our pupils to become inspired, resilient and develop practical skills.

Design and Technology encourages children to learn to think and intervene creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team.

Our aims are to: fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum for design and technology, provide a broad and balanced curriculum, ensure the progressive development of knowledge and skills, to learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens through evaluation of past and present design and technology, develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world, to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world using the language of design and technology.

At West Meadows Primary School, we encourage children to use their creativity and imagination, to confidently 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 aim, wherever possible, to link work to other disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art.

Implementation

Through a variety of creative and practical activities, we teach the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in the process of designing, making and evaluating.
When designing and making, the children are taught to:

Design

• • generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design

Make

• • select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks (for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing) accurately
  • elect from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities

Evaluate

• • investigate and analyse a range of existing products
  • evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work

Impact

We ensure the children:

• • develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
  • 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 and critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
  • understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.

Children will design and make a range of products. A good quality finish will be expected in all design and activities made appropriate to the age and ability of the child.

High-quality design and technology education make an essential contribution to the creativity, culture,