Design Technology
Design and Technology Curriculum Map
Curriculum Milestones Design and Technology
Intent
At Levens CE School, the Design and Technology curriculum provides students with the skills they need to shape the world around them. Students develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world. Creativity and innovative thinking are encouraged as students create designs which are considerate of form, function and inclusivity. Design and Technology is particularly relevant to the school’s local context as a rural school, where students develop their understanding of food from production to preparation.
Implementation
In the Early Years, the key skills for Design & Technology success begin to be developed. Imaginative play is encouraged using open-ended and familiar resources; in nursery, students develop their design ideas by joining materials using different techniques such as paper clips, glue and tape. This is later consolidated as children are supported to build increasingly complex and detailed recreations of objects and places. Emphasis is placed on using resources from the natural world, as well as finding new and innovative second uses for common items.
As students move into Key Stage One and Two, they continue to develop their abilities in using a wide range of tools and techniques, as well as beginning to incorporate mechanisms such as levers and gears into their projects. Students will be guided through the process of design and encouraged to seek feedback from a wide range of people so that their products reflect the needs of a diverse community. Failure is seen as a core part of the design process, and students are supported to learn from their mistakes.
Cooking and nutrition education runs alongside the Design and Technology programme, beginning in the Early Years where students make their own malleable materials each week; learning how to use utensils and follow instructions independently. Cooking is also embedded across the curriculum and throughout the school, with festivals such as Harvest and Easter being supported by the preparation of nutritionally balanced meals. Students also explore the seasonality of food by, for example, making preserves during the Autumn or preparing a meal to celebrate the successes of Year 6 leavers.
Impact
Students leave Levens CE School with the core knowledge, skills and abilities they need to shape the world around them. They have an interest in their environment, both natural and manufactured, and the desire to design, build and create in order to make improvements for themselves and others. They will have the foundational elements of life skills, such as cooking, designing and creating that they need to continue to develop their independence and become resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens.