Design and Technology Vision Statement 

Intent

Our curriculum goes beyond a plan of what will be taught and when it will be taught. It covers all the experiences a child receives under our guidance. As educationalists, we take our responsibility for the future of our young learners very seriously. Our curriculum will ensure that our children become confident, independent, resilient, curious learners with self -belief and our school ethos fully supports this.

Our aim is for every child “To Be The Best They Can Be”. At Brookfield Primary we aim to provide all children with a broad and balanced curriculum which prepares them for life beyond primary education. We encourage children to use their creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. It can be found in many of the objects children use each day and is a part of children’s immediate experiences. Design and technology encourages children to learn to think and intervene creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team.

At Brookfield the Design and Technology curriculum combines skills, knowledge, concepts and values to enable children to tackle real problems. It can improve analysis, problem solving, practical capability and evaluation skills. We aim to, wherever possible, link work to other disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. The children are encouraged to become innovators and risk-takers. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.

Implementation

At Brookfield we have a clear and comprehensive scheme of work in line with the National Curriculum. The Design and Technology National Curriculum and EYFS Framework is planned for and covered in full within the EYFS, KS1 and KS2 school curriculum. Whilst the EYFS Framework and National Curriculum forms the foundation of our curriculum, we make sure that children learn additional skills, knowledge and understanding and enhance our curriculum as and when necessary.

Language - the promotion of a language rich Design and Technology curriculum is essential to the successful acquisition of knowledge and understanding in Design and Technology. The promotion and use of an accurate and rich vocabulary throughout school is planned in. Children have access to key knowledge, language and meanings to understand design and technology and to use these skills across the curriculum. Design and technology focused working walls throughout school focus on key aspects of design and technology and exemplify the terminology used throughout the teaching of design and technology.

Independent learning: In design and technology children may well be asked to solve problems and develop their learning independently. This allows the children to have ownership over their curriculum and lead their own learning in design and technology.

Basic skills -English, maths and ICT skills are taught during discrete lessons but are revisited in design and technology so children can apply and embed the skills they have learnt in a purposeful context.

Enhancement - we plan termly visits, visitors and involvement in the community activity to provide first-hand experiences for the children to support and develop their learning.

Word mats/ Knowledge Organisers are available for children to have out on desks to support their learning and recap previous learning.

Impact

Our Design and Technology Curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression year on year, giving pupils the skills, knowledge and vocabulary that they need to move forward in their learning, alongside opportunities to apply their knowledge to different situations. If children are keeping up with the curriculum, they are deemed to be making good or better progress.

In addition, we measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

▪ Pupil discussions about their learning, which includes discussion of their thoughts, ideas, processing and evaluations of work.

▪ A reflection on standards achieved against the planned outcomes.

▪ Each year group will have the opportunity to share and discuss their new product with a different year group.