Design Technology at Padiham Primary School.

Pupil Voice : 

Alice Year 2: " DT is fun. I like making food and other things. I like sewing. I like it all."

Sophia Year 2 : " It's fun. I made moving pictures at home too."

Talia Year 6: I find it interesting because it's lots of different things like sewing, drawing and writing."

Kacie Year 6: Making a car very was fun. I got to design it. I sewed a pencil case last year and I still use it at home."

 INTENT: 

At Padiham Primary School we aim to provide children with a DT education that is relevant in our rapidly changing world.  We want to encourage our children to become problem solvers who can work creatively on a shared or individual project. We believe that high-quality DT lessons will inspire children to think independently, innovatively and develop creative and technical understanding. Our DT curriculum provides children with opportunities to research, represent their ideas, explore and investigate, develop their ideas, make a product and evaluate their work. Children are exposed to a wide range of media including textiles, food, electrical components, cardboard and wood. Through this, children will develop their skills, vocabulary and resilience. Our lessons aim to encourage an iterative process, and effective delivery the DT National Curriculum. DT is a largely practical subject where we work on a two year cycle, developing the children's DT skills across the areas of food, 2D and 3D mechanisms, textiles, structures, mechanical systems and electrical systems and control. We aim to make cross-curricular links with subjects including Mathematics, Science, Computing and Art. Our aim is that the children's experiences in DT will help them to be successful in later life. We want all children to achieve well in this subject, regardless of ability, and aim to challenge our more able through questioning and additional challenges.

IMPLEMENTATION:

Design and Technology is a crucial part of school life and learning. Our children thoroughly enjoy this subject, and the freedom it gives them to be creative and inventive. It is implemented through:

 • A well thought out, whole school, two yearly overview of the DT curriculum which allows for progression across year groups in all areas of DT (textiles, mechanisms, structures, food and electrical systems).

 • Well planned and resourced projects providing children with a hands-on and enriching experience.

. • A range of skills being taught ensuring that children are aware of health and safety issues related to the tasks undertaken.

 • Teachers being given ownership and flexibility to plan for Design and Technology; often teaching DT as a block of lessons to allow the time needed for the children to be critical, inventive and reflective on their work.

 • Each project from Year 1 to Year 6 addressing the principles of designing, making, and evaluating and incorporating relevant technical knowledge and understanding in relevant contexts.

 • Pupils being introduced to specific designers, chefs, nutritionists, etc. helping to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement and increase the cultural capital from which they can draw in the future.

 As a school, we promote Design and Technology in the wider school through gardening sessions in our allotment, learning about where our food comes from by growing our own, and the importance of a balanced, healthy and varied diet and how to prepare this.

Our  Early Years Foundation Stage

 During the EYFS pupils explore and use a variety of media and materials through a combination of child initiated and adult directed activities. They have the opportunities to learn to: • Use different media and materials to express their own ideas. • Use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about form, function and purpose. • Make plans and construct with a purpose in mind using a variety of resources • Develop skills to use simple tools and techniques appropriately, effectively and safely. • Select appropriate resources for a product and adapt their work where necessary. • Cook and prepare food adhering to good health and hygiene routines.

IMPACT:

Children will have enjoyment and confidence in Design and Technology that they will then apply to other areas of the curriculum. Through carefully planned and implemented learning activities the pupils develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world. They gain a firm foundation of knowledge and skills to see them equipped to take on further learning in High School. Pupil’s DT skills and knowledge are assessed by the class teacher as an ongoing process, throughout lessons and a summative assessment is completed termly. This informs the Design and Technology coordinator of any further areas for curriculum development, pupil support and/or training requirements for staff. EYFS pupils' progress and attainment tells us whether each individual child has reached, or is yet to reach, age related expectations.

DT is a fun, practical subject. Throughout their work children are encouraged to investigate and disassemble existing products, design their own products for specific users, learn and develop skills with tools and fixings to produce quality products, and evaluate their product and make changes in order to create a better quality end product for the user.

We enjoy taking part in the Burnley Primary Engineer Challenge. This is a great way to showcase our skills in 3D mechanisms and electrical systems.

We also regularly take part in the annual challenge from Primary Engineer- If you were an engineer what would you do?