D&T Curriculum Intent
Design and Technology encourages children to learn and think creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team. At Southborough Primary, we encourage children to use their creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values.
As D&T is within our Harmony curriculum, we aim to, wherever possible, link work to other disciplines such as science, computing and art. The children are also given opportunities to reflect upon and evaluate past and present design technology. They investigate its uses, its effectiveness and are also encouraged to become innovators and risk-takers.
Implementation
Key skills and knowledge for Design and Technology have been mapped across the school to ensure progression between year groups. The context for the children’s work in Design and Technology is also well considered and linked to the Harmony principle of study. Design and Technology lessons may be weekly or taught as a block if required, so that children’s learning is focused throughout each unit of work.
Our D&T curriculum provides children with opportunities to:
Children are also able to experience a wide range of media including textiles, food technology, sheet and framework materials; and through this, children develop a wide range of practical life skills, vocabulary and resilience.
Impact
Children develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently. They learn how to take risks, being inspired to think independently and develop creative, procedural and technical understanding through their designing, planning and practical activities. We encourage our children to develop their thinking skills within a range of contexts, to become practical problem solvers who can work creatively and innovatively on each new project.
DT in Reception is a key part of the ‘Expressive Arts and Design’ area of the EYFS Curriculum. In Early Years the children create their own open-ended products that support their imaginative play such as making castles and cars out of large blocks and crates outside and they also have the opportunity to design and make junk models using recyclable materials in the creative area. They practise cutting activities using paper and card to develop scissor skills. They use various construction kits to develop their problem-solving skills within Design and Technology so they build, evaluate and improve their models. Although children have access to each area independently, challenges are included to ensure key skills are applied. Children use a range of materials and are taught basic techniques such as joining, folding and safe use of simple tools.
The children will also be provided with regular opportunities to prepare food, including the cooking of food. In addition to this the children in reception also do woodwork led by an accredited woodwork leader. Children are taught how to use a range of tools safely, once they have mastered these skills, they move into open ended exploration.
Links to Development Matters
At the end of reception 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;
• Make use of props and materials when role playing characters in narratives and stories.