Design and Technology

Intent - What do we want for our developing designers?

At Horn’s Mill, we aim to provide a skills based DT curriculum that builds resilience and inspires children to be creative and imaginative. We have developed a curriculum that meets the National Curriculum requirements and aligns with high school expectations for our children as they transition into Year 7.

Our curriculum  follows a sequential process, teaches skills, and aims to inspire. Pupils research, design, make and evaluate processes and products. The sessions focus on textiles, construction (with card), and food, to ensure a good knowledge and a deep understanding of the design process and progress in skill development.  Where possible DT is linked to the wider curriculum.

We understand the importance of allowing children the opportunities to grapple with skills and tackle tasks independently. Tasks are well modelled with possible misconceptions addressed. Children are then encouraged to complete tasks as independently as possible.

Throughout the curriculum, we research the impact and influence designers and designs have had throughout history and how this impacts modern day design, processes and products. The designers and makers have been chosen to ensure diversity across our curriculum.

Implementation - How is the curriculum delivered?

Lessons are delivered to each year group by a specialist teacher. They focus on 3 disciplines: construction (card), textiles and food. Each half term, Design and Technology and Art alternate; projects are delivered as a series of lessons. The time dedicated to Design and Technology ensures that each area can be delivered to a high standard and children can create products with a purpose. 

Resilience is embedded in how the teacher talks about DT, sharing designers’ quotations, demonstrating the whole learning process as trial and error and sharing the teacher’s own errors.

KS2 pupils conduct market research, which then informs their design as each child designs their own product based on their research. Through this process, pupils’ technical knowledge and vocabulary are developed in relation to construction, textiles, mechanical and electrical systems, food production and nutrition. Throughout the curriculum, children are taught the principles of researching, designing, making and evaluating. Teachers ensure children are familiar with these four key principles in the Design and Technology cycle.

As children progress through school, they begin to build more complex designs, and use new technologies to improve their products and make them more advanced. Details of the Design and Technology curriculum for each year group can be found in the DT curriculum document below.

Children are immersed in the design process by researching and evaluating a range of existing products. Using this information and their ideas, children plan designs with a clear project intention and 'user' in mind. They develop design criteria and communicate their ideas through a range of materials and techniques. Children start the process of making their planned design, using a range of equipment. Resources allow children to design and make their products, utilising a variety of tools and materials. Wherever possible, teachers promote the use of recycled materials when constructing and building. All children are challenged during this stage by tackling problems that arise during the actiivty.  Design and Technology encourages children to think creatively and solve problems as individuals and members of a team. Children test and evaluate their products against the design criteria to ensure that the product is fit for purpose. They consider the views and opinions of peers to support them to improve their work.

Curriculum Enrichment

Where possible, DT learning is enriched by contacting the designers and makers we learn about to enable children to pose questions and to seek feedback about their work. At Horn’s Mill, we involve the public in our market research and provide opportunities for children to showcase their work, whether this is around school or at local places.  We look for opportunities for children to join in with community events, such as designing logos for a t-shirt for the Four Villages Marathon which takes places yearly in our village.

Impact - How do we know our DT curriculum is effective?

Pupil Voice

We value listening to the voice of our children to assess the knowledge and progress they have made. Children confidently talk through the process of designing, making and evaluating to achieve objectives and design criteria. Pupil voice is an important part of assessing, allowing teachers to continually reflect upon and improve the Design and Technology curriculum.

High-Quality Outcomes

Design processes are documented in Design & Technology floor books. The DT books show the progress children make over time and display knowledge of technical vocabulary, key learning and competencies.

Each project ends with all children creating a functional and usable product; these products demonstrate the skills they have learnt. Throughout the school, it is clear to see the progression of skills through the quality of products each year group creates.

End Points

Reception 

By the end of Reception, within continuous provision children will explore construction of paper, card, textiles and food. They will learn the skills identified in the curriuclum below and will have a knowledge of some designers to bring to their learning when they begin National Curriculum for DT.

Team 1 – 6

Each class floor book and the children's individual final pieces will demonstrate the progression of skills identified in the curriculum below and the knowledge of the designer that inspired their work. 
The key vocabulary and process learning will be evidenced through pupil voice and within evaluations in the class floor book.

If you have any further enquiries relating to the geography curriculum, please email Mrs Caroe on ecaroe@hornsmill.cheshire.sch.uk.