Lowerhouses CE Primary School

Intent 

Design and technology prepares children at Lowerhouses School to take part in a developing world. Creative and imaginative thinking encourages children to make changes in their lives and to be able to comment on their preferences. The subject encourages children to become creative problem-solvers, both as individuals and as part of a team. It enables them to identify needs and opportunities and to respond by developing ideas, and eventually making products and systems.

Through the study of Design and Technology they combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues. This allows them to reflect on and evaluate present and past Design and Technology, its uses and its impacts.

Aims

 To provide opportunities for children to:

• Nurture creativity and innovation.
• Develop designing, making and evaluation skills.
• Develop problem solving skills.
• Develop their capability to produce products through display and making skills.
• Develop an understanding of technological processes.

Objectives

 Children to acquire and apply knowledge and understanding of:

• Materials and components

• Mechanisms and control systems
• Structures
• Health and safety procedures
• Designing skills, including generating, developing and evaluating ideas
• Apply skills/knowledge across the curriculum

Implementation 

The school uses a variety of teaching and learning styles in design and technology lessons. The principal aim is to develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding in design and technology.

Teachers ensure that the children apply their knowledge and understanding when developing ideas, planning and making products, and then evaluating them. We do this through a mixture of whole-class teaching and individual or group activities.

Within lessons, we give children the opportunity both to work on their own and to collaborate with others, listening to other children’s ideas and treating these with respect.

Children critically evaluate existing products, their own work and that of others. They have the opportunity to use a wide range of materials and resources, including ICT. Differentiation to meet all children’s needs offers suitable learning opportunities for all children by matching the challenge of the task to the ability of the child

Impact

Children will be encouraged to evaluate their own work. Also, formative assessment involving questioning, in the moment marking, observation, challenge and questioning is used in lessons. 

Using this information, any identified misconceptions and gaps in teaching and learning are addressed to ensure that the curriculum effectively meets the needs of all pupils.