Design Technology
At South Wellfield First School, we are dedicated to inspiring our pupils to use creativity, imagination and innovation to design and make purposeful products for a range of users. Our carefully planned D&T curriculum strives to prepare children for the continuous innovations and developments of the future, through the teaching of creative problem solving and critical thinking.
Each unit of D&T is embedded within a real-life context, allowing children to engage with problems relevant to them and identify needs for innovation. Our pupils learn to use a variety of practical skills to create their products and incorporate their knowledge and skills from other curriculum areas such as mathematics, science, computing and art. They become proficient in evaluating their own and other’s work and use this to help them continuously improve and enhance products to ensure they fulfil a specific purpose based on a purposeful design criteria.
Our main aims in Design and Technology are to:
- Encourage our children to become critical thinkers and problem solvers, who take risks to design, create and innovate a range of functional products for a specific use.
- Develop creative, technical and practical skills to choose and use tools proficiently.
- Foster ambitious attitudes towards design and creation to prepare children for an increasingly technological and ever advancing world.
- Build upon and apply key knowledge and understanding to design and make high quality prototypes and products for a range of purposes and users.
- Critique, evaluate and test theirs and others’ ideas and products.
- Communicate ideas and designs through discussions, annotated sketches, cross sectional drawings and computer aided design tools.
- Know and understand the use and function of simple mechanisms.
- Understand and apply the key principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare a variety of food.
- Develop a knowledge of where our food comes from and how seasonality can inform our diets.
“Technology makes what was once impossible, possible. The design makes it real.” Michael Gagliano
| Well - nurtured | The creative nature of D&T supports the personal development and nurturing of pupils by allowing children to explore their interests and passions through the use of hands on designing and creating activities. Our D&T curriculum promotes imagination without boundaries and fosters a sense of accomplishment and pride through the completion of ambitious projects. | |
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Well - rounded |
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| Well - equipped | The teaching of D&T provides opportunities for children to learn about, choose and use a wide range of materials, tools and techniques which equips children with practical skills for life. The integration of digital technologies prepares pupils for the constant advancement of technologies and engineering practises in the modern world. Our teaching of D&T encourages life-long learning and a passion for design and innovation, making them well equipped for a wealth of future careers. | |
| Well - read | Within D&T, our children are well-read through carefully considered texts which encourage research and provide crucial knowledge linked to our key threads of D&T. Our subject specific texts incorporate elements of design history and cultural influences such as those in the world of textiles and fashion, enriching children’s understanding of the world around them. | |
| Well - connected | D&T celebrates the value of creativity and innovation in society, nurturing well connected individuals who can contribute positively to their communities. Collaborative projects encourage teamwork and communication skills as children work together to solve problems and engage with real-world contexts. Children are well-connected, responsible, global citizens through the consideration of diverse perspectives on global issues which offer insights into sustainable design and promote environmental considerations in product design and development. |
