Design Technology
Our Statement of Intent
At Stanford Primary School, Design Technology is about problem solving. Children use their knowledge, understanding, and creativity to design, build, and evaluate a range of purposeful practical products. This includes different structures and mechanisms, as well as preparing healthy and nutritious food in a variety of cross-curricular contexts. The curriculum from Reception through to Year 6 supports the development of children’s ability to select and use appropriate tools safely and effectively. Children consider their relationship with the world of design and themselves as designers and builders in a range of relevant contexts.
Challenging pupils with real life design and technology tasks will allow them to think critically and work creatively. Building on their innate natural instincts to experiment and create, these tasks will help facilitate the interleaving of related learning and allow them to develop skills, including oracy, literacy, numeracy, language, thinking skills and social skills.
Providing pupils with a real-life context allows them to analyse why the product is needed and identify the intended market. Pupils will be given opportunities to evaluate existing products in order to understand how they work and, through making and experimenting, adapt and improve them to create new solutions to a problem, with the needs of the consumer in mind. Adapting products, and designing new products, requires a level of problem-solving in order to fulfil the design brief. This process enables pupils to have a clear understanding of the design process.
Pupils start each project with the design brief and finish with an evaluation and possible modification of their own projects. Pupils will be taken through the design and make process, enabling them to experience how designers work.
As Brighton & Hove is a design-rich community, our intent is that pupils develop an awareness of future career opportunities. Our vision includes enriching pupils’ learning experiences through STEM projects, trips, visits and partnership work with local universities, designers and practitioners.
EYFS- 2021
Expressive Arts and Design
ELG: Creating with Materials
Children at the expected level of development will:
- Safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.
- Share their creations, explaining the process they have used.
Physical Development
ELG: Fine Motor Skills
Children at the expected level of development will:
- Use a range of small tools, including scissors, paintbrushes and cutlery.
Purpose of Study – National Curriculum 2014
Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.