Design Technology
Intent
At Winlaton West Lane Community Primary School, we provide children with a DT education that is relevant in our rapidly changing world; we know that our children are part of a workforce of the future and that STEM skills, including Design Technology and Engineering, will unlock a range of future careers – many of which are yet unknown. Our DT curriculum encourages our children to become problem solvers who can work creatively on a shared project. We believe that high-quality DT lessons will inspire children to think independently, innovatively and develop creative, procedural and technical understanding. Our DT curriculum provides children with opportunities to research, represent their ideas, explore and investigate, develop their ideas, make a product and evaluate their work. Children will be exposed to a wide range of media including textiles, food and woodwork; through this, children will develop their skills, vocabulary and resilience.
Implementation
Our DT curriculum follows the guidance and progression outlined in the National Curriculum. In Design Technology, children are asked to solve problems and develop their learning independently. This allows the children to have more ownership over their curriculum and lead their own learning in Design Technology. Science, Maths and Computing skills are taught during discrete lessons but are constantly revisited in Design Technology so children can apply and embed these STEM skills they have learnt in a purposeful context. As we know our children learn best when knowledge is linked, our DT curriculum is enhanced through cross-curricular experience, including trips and visitors, that develop skills alongside wider cross-curricular understanding – for example Anglo Saxon Weaving at the Rising Sun Country Park, Computer Aided Design (CAD) through Purple Mash, or learning to cook healthy meals with Nick the Expo Chef as part of learning about healthy living.
Impact
As designers, children will develop skills and attributes they can use beyond school and into adulthood and our DT curriculum helps develop these and allows the children of West Lane to become resilient learners and creative and reflective thinkers.