Intent

The design and technology curriculum at Mickley Village Primary & Nursery School aims to inspire pupils to be innovative and creative thinkers who have an appreciation for the product design cycle through ideation, creation, and evaluation. We want pupils to develop the confidence to take risks, through drafting design concepts, modelling, and testing and to be reflective learners who evaluate their work and the work of others. With the support of the Kapow scheme of work, we aim to build an awareness of the impact of design and technology on our lives and encourage pupils to become resourceful, enterprising citizens who will have the skills to contribute to future design advancements. Through our exciting and vibrant curriculum, we aim to inspire children and young people to create, experience, and participate in great arts and culture.

Implementation

The design and technology national curriculum outlines the three main stages of the design process: design, make and evaluate. Each stage of the design process is underpinned by technical knowledge which encompasses the contextual, historical, and technical understanding required for each strand. Cooking and nutrition has a separate section, with a focus on specific principles, skills and techniques in food, including where food comes from, diet and seasonality.

The National Curriculum organises the design and technology attainment targets under four subheadings: Design, Make, Evaluate, and Technical knowledge. We use the following subheadings from the Kapow scheme of work:

● Design

● Make

● Evaluate

● Technical knowledge

Cooking and nutrition is given a particular focus in the National Curriculum and we have made this one of our six key areas that pupils revisit throughout their time in primary school:

● Cooking and nutrition

● Mechanisms/ Mechanical systems

● Structures

● Textiles

● Electrical systems (KS2 only)

● Digital world (KS2 only)

The design and technology scheme has a clear progression of skills and knowledge within these strands and key areas across each year group. Our Progression of skills shows the skills and knowledge that are taught within each year group and how these skills develop to ensure that attainment targets are securely met by the end of each key stage.

Throughout their time at Mickley, pupils respond to design briefs and scenarios that require consideration of the needs of others, developing their skills in the six key areas.

Each of our key areas follows the design process (design, make and evaluate) and has a particular theme and focus from the technical knowledge or cooking and nutrition section of the curriculum. This is a spiral curriculum, with key areas revisited again and again with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revisit and build on their previous learning.

Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work including practical hands-on, computer-based and inventive tasks. This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with a variety of learning styles. All lessons are planned to meet the needs of each and every child to make sure they achieve the knowledge, skills and vocabulary which are essential to ensure pupil progression.

Impact

After the implementation of the design and technology curriculum, pupils should leave school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their secondary education and be innovative and resourceful members of society.

If implemented successfully, the children will:

• Understand the functional and aesthetic properties of a range of materials and resources.
• Understand how to use and combine tools to carry out different processes for shaping, decorating, and manufacturing products.
• Build and apply a repertoire of skills, knowledge and understanding to produce high quality, innovative outcomes, including models, prototypes, CAD, and products to fulfil the needs of users, clients, and scenarios.
• Understand and apply the principles of healthy eating, diets, and recipes, including key processes, food groups and cooking equipment.
• Have an appreciation for key individuals, inventions, and events in history and of today that impact our world.
• Recognise where our decisions can impact the wider world in terms of community, social and environmental issues.
• Self-evaluate and reflect on learning at different stages and identify areas to improve.
• Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National Curriculum for design and technology.