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Design and Technology

INTENT

At St. Thomas School, DT is fully inclusive to every child. We value Design and Technology as an important part of the children’s entitlement to a board and balanced curriculum. It provides children with the opportunities to develop learning and results in the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Children will know more, remember more and understand more. A high-quality DT curriculum should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works. As pupils progress they will be able to think critically and develop a more rigorous understanding of DT with an idea of how it reflects and shapes our history. They will understand how DT can contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation. Our DT curriculum promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils and prepared them for the opportunities and responsibilities and experiences later in life.

Aims:

  • ensure the progressive development of knowledge and skills (Practical, Theoretical and Discipline based knowledge)

  • enable children to observe and record from first-hand experience and from imagination; produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences.

  • develop the children’s competence in controlling materials and tools and becoming proficient in various techniques and processes;

  • begin to develop an awareness of the visual and tactile elements; foster enjoyment and appreciation of different mediums of DT

  • develop a knowledge of significant people in society and throughout history

  • increase critical awareness of the roles and purposes of DT in different times and cultures, and analyse works using the language of design and technology

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IMPLEMENTATION

Design and Technology at St Thomas is designed and delivered through the Cornerstones 22 Curriculum,  in a way that allows pupils to transfer key knowledge to the long-term memory which is then applied fluently. It is sequenced so that new knowledge and skills build on what has been taught before and pupils can work towards clearly defined end points. Mastery of skill and knowledge is crucial; no gaps in learning should arise as pupils move onto the next stage. We teach pupils the act of investigating and making including exploring and developing ideas and work. We do this through a mixture of directed teaching and individual or group tasks. Teachers draw attention to good examples, they encourage children to evaluate their own ideas and methods and the work of others.  Children are given the opportunity within lessons to work on their own and collaboratively on projects in two and three dimensions. Pupil motivation and enjoyment is paramount so a variety of engaging and active approaches are encouraged. The Design and Technology curriculum intends to inspire pupils to develop a love of DT and see how it has shaped the world they live in.

Early Years

Children are given the opportunity to design, create and review their work within the provision. Outdoor learning provides the opportunity to work on a large scale, within groups and use extended resources. The indoor provision develops imagination and creativity in many forms.

Key Stage 1

Children are encouraged to explore visual, tactile and sensory materials and processes to develop their understanding of DT. They are given the opportunity to focus on the work of designs and makers by asking and answering questions such as: “What is it like?” “What is it going to be used for?” “What do other think about it?”.

Key Stage 2

Children develop their knowledge, skills and understanding of materials and process by developing their creativity and imagination. They are encouraged to use their own experiences and ideas to develop an understanding towards the work of others and their own creative pieces.

IMPACT

Assessment of DT at both KS1 and KS2 will be based on teachers’ judgments. Assessment takes place at all appropriate stages of a lesson to ensure pupils understand and can work to their true potential throughout the lesson, but particularly within the plenary, focusing on the relevant learning objectives to the lesson. All AFL is used to identify gaps in pupil knowledge and skill which informs next steps. Pupils are encouraged to be active in their learning, considering where they are now, where they are going and how they are going to get there. AFL can take the form of questioning, feedback, peer assessment and or self-assessment. We assess how well pupils embed concepts in their long term memory and apply them fluently; developing their understanding rather than memorising disconnected facts. If children are keeping up with the curriculum and are developing the skills required at each stage of learning (skill progression map for DT), they are deemed to be making expected or more than expected progress.

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RELEVANT DOCUMENTS

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