Intent

At Gifford Primary School, we use the National Curriculum to deliver an ambitious design and technology curriculum for our pupils.  Design and Technology projects are taught explicitly although some topics are linked to the wider history and geography curriculum.

We aim to provide a design and technology curriculum that:

• Promotes creativity and confidence in pupil’s ideas
• Challenges pupils to achieve high standards 
• Promotes an understanding of the wider world and how they can contribute to local and global society
• Develops fine motor skills and basic skills that are transferable to everyday life
• Develops confidence to use a range of tools confidently
• Encourages pupils to generate individual ideas and produce products that are unique to them

Implementation

The design and technology curriculum has been designed to provide pupils with a broad range of basic skills that they will be able to build on at high school and in future life. The disciplinary skills of design, make and evaluation run through all aspects of the curriculum and are taught as part of an iterative process. Technical skills and substantive knowledge are taught through focused units of work in which pupils revisit and develop skills. Cooking and Nutrition and Mechanisms/ Structures are studied every year. Textiles are studied once in each phase and electrical control is covered in years 4 and 6. Where appropriate skills will cross over strands to ensure regular recall of skills and processes.

Impact

Year group floor books are used to document the learning journey taken by pupils. These show the process of a project from design brief, through planning and to the final product. Pupil’s embrace the iterative process and often their final product will have been significantly developed since their initial ideas. Pupils are given opportunities to solve real life issues and work both independently and in collaborative groups. Pupils design and make products that they are very proud of and are keen to share their achievements with their family and friends. Pupils skills are assessed within lessons and support is implemented or outcomes adapted within lessons to meet the needs of individual pupils.

Early Years

In the Foundation Stage DT is covered in Expressive Arts and Design. Through a variety of activities children explore and use tools and materials to build and construct. They explore how materials are joined together and how to adapt their work to meet their intended outcome.