Design Technology
Intent
At St Margaret’s Anfield, we have designed a Design and Technology curriculum that gives children the knowledge and skills they need for secondary school and beyond. We aim for pupils to use their creativity and imagination to design, make and evaluate products from a variety of different contexts. It also includes the technical knowledge and expertise needed to participate in a modern and technological world.
Our DT curriculum is sequenced so that the new knowledge and skills build on what has been taught before and enables pupils to reach those clearly defined end points through the products they design, create, make and evaluate. The curriculum has been adapted to provide opportunities to develop vocabulary and a critical understanding of the design, make and evaluate process. In addition to the designing and making elements, all children are taught the value of cooking and healthy eating; crucial skills for later life.
Implementation
All teaching of DT follows the design, make and evaluate cycle, using the Kapow scheme of work. Each stage is rooted in technical knowledge and the design process is rooted in real life, relevant contexts to give meaning to learning. While making, children are given choice and a range of tools to choose freely from. To evaluate, children are able to evaluate their own products against a design criteria. Each of these steps are rooted in technical knowledge and vocabulary. Food and Nutrition is a key aspect of DT and is taught at least once in every Key Stage phase. Children are taught to evaluate existing foods, appreciate seasonal and multicultural foods and develop their own ideas against a criteria whilst upholding strict health and safety procedures.
Impact
Assessment of children’s learning in Design Technology is an ongoing monitoring of children’s understanding, knowledge and skills by the class teacher, throughout lessons. Summative assessment is conducted termly by class teachers across each year group of the school to inform the subject leader of progress or skills and knowledge still to be embedded. Design Technology is also monitored by the subject leader throughout the year in the form of book monitoring to see the process and final products, looking at outcomes and pupil voice to discuss their learning and understanding and establish the impact of the teaching taking place.
