Design and Technology
Design and Technology Curriculum: Intent
We offer a structured and sequenced Design and Technology curriculum that effectively and progressively covers the knowledge, understanding and skills required in the National Curriculum.
Our intent reflects the schools four curriculum drivers:
Diversity: At Pratts Bottom Primary School we believe that we are all born makers. Throughout our curriculum we look at the work of global designers and how their expertise has impacted on current design and technology practice.
Growth Mindset: At the heart of the design and technology curriculum is the ability to think creatively, critically and problem solve. The future will be different and exciting, design and technology should lead the way. We are currently preparing students for jobs that potentially don’t exist using technologies that don’t exist. Through building their resilience we aim to develop our children to be future designers, engineers and technologists to unlock their full potential.
Sustainability: Through our curriculum we aim to enable children to think critically and reflect on issues that impact on themselves and the wider world. Our curriculum aims to engage children in real and relevant problems that focus on making the world a better place for all of our tomorrows. Throughout each unit children reflect on the products they are creating and the impact they will have on the environment. We ensure our creations are as sustainable as possible and that we do not create needless waste.
Design and Technology Curriculum: Implementation
Our units are planned to enable a thorough coverage of all aspects of Design and Technology throughout each school year. The children design and create products that consider function and purpose and which are relevant to a range of sectors (for example, the home, school, leisure, culture, enterprise, industry and the wider environment).
Vertical progression in each discipline has been deliberately woven into the fabric of the curriculum so that pupils revisit key disciplines throughout their Primary journey at increasing degrees of challenge and complexity. Design and Technology skills and understanding are built into lessons, following an iterative process. Through revisiting and consolidating skills, children build on prior knowledge alongside introducing new skills, knowledge and challenge. The revision and introduction of key vocabulary is built into each lesson.
Design and Technology Curriculum: Impact
We aim to ensure the children:
- Develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
- Build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high -quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users and critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
- Understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook. Children will design and make a range of products. A good quality finish will be expected in all design and activities made appropriate to the age and ability of the child
Through our curriculum children learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. By evaluating past and present design and technology they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. We believe that high-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation and aim to equip our pupils with the skills to continue this vital work.