Intent and implementation

Ruskington Chestnut Street Primary Academy

Design Technology

Design and technology intent

At Ruskington Chestnut Street Primary Academy, we value design and technology and want all our children by the end of year 6 to be enabled to develop the skills they need for designing and making through a range of creative and practical activities. To be able to develop their ability to investigate, analyse and evaluate a range of products, applying their understanding and technical knowledge across a range of products and materials. We will provide opportunities for children to work in a range of relevant contexts offering valuable life skills. Underpinning all this is a key focus on improving our children’s communication skills, vocabulary, and the ambition so that all children will be designers regardless of background, needs or ability. Children need a hands-on approach that also gives access to other areas of the curriculum such as Mathematics, Science, Engineering, Computing and Art. Skills and techniques developed through Design and Technology are of great importance in our everchanging technological world to ensure that children are equipped for the next stages in their lives.

Design and technology implementation

The teaching of Design Technology across the school follows the Early Years Statutory Framework and National Curriculum. EYFS plans for the characteristics of effective learning and the expressive arts and design. From years 1 to 6 every year group plans for the three DT areas to be taught across the year. Our children design products with a purpose in mind and an intended user of the products. Food technology is implemented across the school with children developing an understanding of where food comes from, the importance of a varied and healthy diet and how to prepare this.  Design and technology are a crucial part of school life and learning and it is for this reason that as a school we are dedicated to the teaching and delivery of a quality Design and Technology curriculum, through well planned and resourced projects and experiences. It is an inspiring, rigorous, and practical subject, requiring creativity, resourcefulness, and imagination. Children design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts. It is very cross - curricular and draws upon subject knowledge and skills within mathematics, science, computing, and art. Children learn to take risks, be reflective, innovative, enterprising, and resilient. Through the evaluation of past and present technology they can reflect upon the impact of Design Technology on everyday life and the wider world.

Design and technology impact

We aspire children to have gained knowledge and understanding of different skills and techniques required to problem-solve by designing and creating a variety of products using a safe approach. They will understand the cross curricular elements within the subject and the importance of skills learnt in other areas of the curriculum and how they aid the design and make process, as well as how these techniques and skills will aid them in future life and learning.