Design and Technology
At The Bishop Harvey Goodwin School we follow a ‘Design, Make and Evaluate’ approach whilst teaching D&T as well as developing technical knowledge and skills, as outlined in the National Curriculum Program of Study. Our intent is that pupils use their creativity and imagination to design, make and evaluate products within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. When doing so, pupils will use, develop and acquire cross-curricular subject knowledge and skills from other subjects such as Science, Mathematics, Computing and Art.
In our school we aim to ensure that ALL pupils:
- 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
- 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
- Develop executive function and lifelong skills in order to manage their own projects, which requires planning, organisation, time management, problem-solving and self-monitoring
We strive to ensure that each of our projects taught follows the six D&T principles which have been developed by the D&T National Curriculum Expert Group. These describe the features of genuine D&T experiences and in each project the children undertake every principle should be evident, to a greater or lesser degree. The National Curriculum requirements are consistent with these six principles, which are outlined below:
- User – Who the product is for
- Purpose – What tasks the product will perform
- Functionality – How the product will work
- Design Decisions – Provide opportunities for children to make choices
- Innovation – Scope in which the children have to be original with their thinking
- Authenticity – How believable or real the product will be to the children
The most effective teaching in D&T is when genuine and real experiences are provided for the children, making learning relevant and meaningful. When children have a secure understanding of who they are designing the product for, it requires them to think like designers and find resolutions, to problem-solve and persevere. We use the following phrase to help us remember this when planning D&T experiences for the children in our school:
Designing and making:
Something for
Somebody for
Some purpose
Pupils will take part in at least one D&T project each term related to the different aspects of Design and Technology. Due to the practical nature of the subject, we usually block lessons so that once children are engaged in their learning, they do not have to start and stop projects that they are highly involved in.
The aspects of D&T we teach throughout school include: Structures, Mechanisms/Mechanical and Electrical Systems, Textiles and Food and Nutrition. We know that the teaching of Food and Nutrition is of great importance and is vital for equipping pupils with crucial life skills and to promote lifelong healthy eating habits. For this reason, children will study at least one Food and Nutrition unit every year. They also learn about the importance of Food and Nutrition in our ‘JIGSAW’ unit of ‘Healthy Me’ in the Spring Term. We are a part of the Phunky Food Programme, which is an Early Years and Primary School Programme of Healthy Lifestyle Curriculum Activities, and we have a Phunky Food Engagement and Development Co-ordinator who supports extra initiatives, activities and events within our school to encourage a healthier lifestyle. These have in the past included parent and child after school Cooking Clubs.
Our school is a member of the D&T Association, which has provided us with advice, resources, support, CPD and a bank of expert knowledge that teaching staff have used to support the teaching of the curriculum. As well as our long-term curriculum map, we also adapt and use the D&T Association’s medium-term plans, which are called ‘Projects on a Page’. We adapt ‘Plan Bee’s’ short-term planning to ensure it meets the needs of our children and use this scheme to support our teaching of the D&T curriculum. Within our planning for D&T projects, we ensure that each project includes three types of D&T activities, which are:
- Investigative and Evaluative Activities (IEAs) – where children learn from a range of existing products and find out about D&T in the wider world;
- Focused Tasks (FTs) – Where they are taught specific technical knowledge, design skills and making skills;
- Design, Make and Evaluate Assignment (DMEA) – Where children create functional products with users and purposes in mind.
We will continue to review our curriculum to ensure it meets the needs of ALL our children and to make sure that high-quality Design and Technology education in our school will make an essential contribution to the creativity, culture and well-being of our children so they learn how to take risks, develop skills, become resourceful, innovative and to equip them with essential life skills so they are capable citizens and to also prepare them for future careers in our technological world.