Design & Technology
At the Olive School Blackburn, we have designed our Design and Technology (DT) curriculum with the intent that our children will gain a practical understanding of the world around them, and become resilient, independent, creative thinkers and problem solvers. We want our children to understand the different factors that contribute to complex design decisions. Following the National Curriculum and early years framework, fundamental DT skills will be systematically developed, where core component knowledge will be sequentially built upon, as per the progression map below. When they leave us, our children will have mastered all aspects of the design technology process, and have the motivation to continue their journey as young designers and engineers into future learning and careers.
We will deliver a knowledge-rich curriculum that:
· Systematically develops the skills of designing, making, evaluating, using technological knowledge and cooking and nutrition, as per the progression map below, arching across the whole primary age range.
· Focusses exciting sequences of learning on discrete component skills and applies these to a meaningful composite outcome, allowing children to develop functional, appealing products that are aimed at particular individuals or groups and are fit for purpose. The emphasis here is developing the skills of the various stages of the design process, rather than simply the end product.
· Ensures children progressively master the use and application of a range of tools and equipment through the years, such as construction kits, needles and thread and mechanical components.
· Facilitates creative learning that provides opportunities for the development of higher order thinking skills.
· Promotes analytical thinking, in identifying the features, problems and solutions in products.
Our knowledge-rich design technology curriculum is taught according to the following whole school long term plan:
The detailed, sequential development of design technology knowledge, skills and understanding is carefully mapped out in our progression map, accessible below. This progression map ensures that teachers are supported to plan lessons that include all learners, of all abilities, allowing skill progression within a particular strand of DT to be fully understood.
Our children are given motivating and inspiring cross-curricular opportunities and special experiences to embed essential learning. This enrichment is an essential element of our design technology curriculum offer. For example:
· Children are encouraged to complete projects at home to consolidate their learning in DT – e.g., design Viking boats.
· Children use Lego to design and build mechanical moving toys.
· Year 6 children link their DT projects to essential World War 1 and 2 learning in history.
· Year 5 children use learning in Roman history as a springboard to focus on mechanical components.