Geography
INTENT
Our Design and Technology curriculum is designed to ensure children use creativity, imagination and design, and make products that relate to real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts.
We aim to give children the best possible opportunities and learning experiences, enabling them to reach their full potential.
The cross-curricular nature of Design and Technology makes it possible for children to apply knowledge and skills linked to a number of subjects including Maths and Science. Overall, Design and Technology at our school encourages the development of children’s critical understanding of impact on every-day life.
Our aims for all pupils:
- Develop skills using materials and tools in designing and making objects and food products with emphasis on healthy living.
- Giving the children the opportunity to learn about diet, nutrition, food safety and hygiene, food preparation and history of food.
- Working with a variety of materials aims to help children learn important life skills such as sewing, sawing and cutting etc.
- Children learn independently and in groups, learning to cooperate, plan design, make and evaluate their work.
- They learn to make their own decisions with support and encouragement which helps embed our British Values.
- To allow pupils to use their imagination and creativity to design and make a range of products within a variety of contexts.
- Learning the skill of designing and making a product to solve a real and relevant problem.
- We aim wherever possible, to link their work to other curriculum areas, such as Maths, Science, Computing and Art.
IMPLEMENTATION
Through our extensive Eduu.school planning, we teach a skills-based Design and Technology curriculum, which allows our pupils to express their creative imagination as well as providing them with opportunities to practise and develop mastery in the key processes of Design and Technology: sewing, cutting, sawing and cooking.
We are dedicated as a school to the teaching and delivery of high-quality Design and Technology curriculum. Our Curriculum whole school overview allows progression across year groups in all areas of DT (textiles, mechanisms, structures, food and electrical systems).
A range of skills being taught ensuring that children are aware of health and safety issues related to tasks undertaken. From year 1 to 6 addressing the principles of designing, making and evaluating. Recognising the skills acquired in DT lessons go hand in hand with other areas of the curriculum.
This is to make the children understand that DT is more than just making something. Scaffolding and questioning will support pupils in reflecting actively on the process.
Pupils being introduced to designers, chefs, and nutritionists, helping to lead to an appreciation of human creativity and achievement and increase the cultural capital from which they can draw in the future.
As a school, we promote Design and Technology in the wider school trough DT after school gardening club. Where the children have the opportunity to grow and harvest food and plants.
They are taught to weed and prepare the area, so far, they have grown carrots and potatoes with the intention of growing other foods, plants and flowers.
ENRICHMENT
We believe that all pupils should have the opportunities to share their ideas and have their own pupil voice.
The curriculum allows opportunities for pupils to develop skills, knowledge and understanding when using their pupil voice. We feel it is important to find out the pupil’s opinions of DT and what they enjoy doing, this is done through interviewing selected pupils and dropping in on lessons.
Giving our pupils the opportunity to participate in after school club of various DT activities. We share the children’s successes using our display boards around the school and our school social media.
DT CURRICULUM GALLERY
DT Image Gallery
ARCHIVE - TO DELETE
At Tennyson Road, Design and Technology is a subject which encourages our students to feel inspired and become innovators. At the beginning of each project, authentic products are introduced and shared with the class. The element of accessing existing design is fundamental in understanding the purpose behind an item, as well as identifying how it has been made from a design perspective.
Through enabling opportunities for discussion around products they are familiar with, pupils are able to engage with the world around them. It is through their careful observations and research, that pupils are integrated into the cycle of product design; extending to the making and evaluating aspects using their learned knowledge. Through this subject, pupils are provided with a vast array of experiences including mechanisms, textiles and polymer clay. Eco-friendly upcycling projects are also introduced, in order to encourage and spur on innovative thinking.
Progression of Skill
As our pupils journey through Tennyson Road, they progressively build upon their technical skills. Key Stage 1 focuses on introducing existing concepts and materials, whilst teaching the safe use of some tools and resources. The projects are very practical at this stage and are delivered through the cycle of designing, making and evaluating. During Key Stage 2, we continue to build upon practical skills, however we begin to delve deeper into our understanding of existing products, using these to inform our own design decisions, before developing prototypes. Upper Key Stage 2 then extends this further, through encouraging market research, testing and refining their designs.
Cooking
Cooking is an integral aspect of the Design & Technology curriculum. All of our teachers at Tennyson Road have undergone certified training in Food and Hygiene, underpinning a safe environment during food aspects of learning. We ensure our students are provided with cooking experiences in every year group, continually sharing understanding of hygiene, nutritional value and healthy balanced meals. We are also very proud to have hosted our very own Bake-Off Week, where outcomes ranged from savoury to healthy treats.
With a great bank of resources and imagination in abundance, Design & Technology is much loved by our pupils!
