Our Design and Technology curriculum has been designed to build on our children’s cultural capital through our curriculum drivers. Children’s interests and the requirements of the National Curriculum will enable our children to; acquire the knowledge to ignite a curiosity to identify real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, critically evaluate existing products and then take risks and innovate when creating solutions to the problems.
Our Design and Technology curriculum provides a coherent, structured, academic curriculum that leads to sustained mastery for all and a greater depth of understanding for those who are able. It sets out a clear list of what will be covered for each year group which ensures each teacher, even as a non-specialist, has clarity as to what to cover, the threshold concepts children should understand and the criteria for progression within the threshold concepts.
Our key Design and Technology concepts: master practical techniques, take design inspirations and Design, evaluate and improve are organised so that children are able to return to the same concepts over and over so they gradually build a secure design and technological understanding.
Our Design and Technology end of year outcomes define the standards for the threshold concepts. We expect children by the end of year 2 to develop an advancing or deep understanding of the End of Key Stage 1 outcomes.
Our teaching of Design and Technology is taught as a discreet subject on a fortnightly basis. Our key concepts are revisited in both years, in each key stage so they are built upon across the four years of our children’s time here. This is to ensure that progression will enable children to build a Design and Technological schema and move their learning from working in to long term memory.
Design and Technology activities are planned for within our Continuous Provision which allows application and replication of design and technological knowledge taught in different contexts, with pertinent cross curricular links, offering a more open ended approach to learning which challenges and empowers children to demonstrate their learning in imaginative and inventive ways. It also builds on previously taught knowledge, both day to day and across year groups. It supports the needs of the less knowledgeable children but challenges those who are more knowledgeable.
The impact of our curriculum is that by the end of each year group, the vast majority of children will have sustained mastery of the content, that is, they remember it and are fluent in it; some children have a greater depth of understanding. Our assessment ensures that teachers and children assess their learning continuously throughout the lesson and when learning in Continuous Provision.
Possibilities:
Children will learn about experts and people of influence and where possible visits from specialists in their field would be encouraged introducing children to a range of career paths they can take in the world of design and technology.
These will include architects, fashion designer, chefs, inventors and engineers.
Environment:
As part of a learning in the environment we will focus on using natural and man made resources and growing our own food as part of creating our own products. Careful consideration has been made to include environmental issues alongside our Eco schools agenda.
Diversity:
When looking at influential people and design products used and in the development of our Design and Technology spine, careful consideration has been made to include persons from a diverse range of backgrounds as possible.
Nursery - In Class Learning - 2023-2024
Nursery children have been exploring techniques to join materials together and use tools to make Christmas decorations. They have learnt to crunch, twist, tear different materials. They have also demonstrated control when using glue spreaders to attached materials together.
Reception - In Class Learning - 2023-2024
Reception children have been learning about how designers use their imagination to create and make products. We looked at different types of Christmas decorations and how we could make our own decorations for our school Christmas tree. Reception children became creative designers and use their joining and manipulative skills to make their own. They scrunched, twisted, joined, teared, folded materials to create a planed effect. The children also showed confidence when using tools like scissors, hole punches and glue sticks.
Year 1 - In Class Learning - 2023-24
Year 1 have been making mango and banana smoothies. We learnt about how to work safely and hygienically. We then tasted lots of smoothies, planned our own smoothie and made it.
Year 2 - In Class Learning - 2023-2024
In Design and Technology we have been learning about frame structures. We looked at what makes a frame structure stable and what frame structure we use in our everyday life. We then went on to make our own frame structure using ‘beams, slabs and pillars.
We learned about the different objects we use that have levers and we then went on to make our own levers with a pivot.
In Class Learning - 2022-23
Shaping & Joining
We needed to make a product for our party, a party hat. We took inspiration from existing products and thought about the purpose. We explored and practised techniques for shaping and joining. We measured, cut, assembled and decorated a hat for a party.
Mastering Practical Techniques
Continuous Provision has been resourced so that children are able to practise key taught techniques to make their own creations.
Exploring using split pins
Children in Reception enjoyed exploring using split pins. They practised their skills by making split pin people.
Structures
Last week, year 1s learned about different types of structures. We looked at shell structures, frame structures, solid structures and combined structures. The children then worked with the teachers to identify and sort natural and manufactured structures into the two categories. Each time we sorted a picture we talked about what makes it a natural or manufactured structure and why we have placed it there.
Moving Parts
In Literacy the Year 1s have reading the Naughty Bus. We decided that in DT, we wanted to create some moving parts that reflect different scenes from the Naughty Bus story. the children were amazing at showcasing their creative side and drawing their own backgrounds, creating their own Naughty Bus and attaching it to a lolly stick to create a moving part. Well done every one!
Structures
Framed Structures – Competition
Year 2 children made framed structures using a variety of junk materials.
In Class Learning - 2021-2022
Kite Making
“Our Nursery Children have shown a huge interest in exploring the windy weather. They were inspired by flying kites outside so much that they wanted to make their own. They have explored and learnt how to use different tools to join materials together. To make their kites they used the scissors to cut across the bag and then the Sellotape, string, and a stapler to join and attached the materials”
Puppet Making
Sarah made a handbag and used a hole puncher and tied it together with string. She then told me she put “kadinskys circles” on her hand bag. She told me she smudged and rubbed it.
Khadijah used the split pin joining technique and made a moving puppet.
M. Yaseen used the split pin technique and created a moving vampire.
Junk Modelling
Children in Rockets class designed a city using foam blocks, deconstructions and small world. They collaborated and spoke about what they needed to make it strong and all of the different features.
Moving Parts
Stars made a moving part by making a slider. The children showed great resilience when cutting a slit without ripping the sides of the paper. They learnt key vocabulary which included, fold, snip, cut, attach, slide.
Den Building
The year 1 children have enjoyed building their own dens whilst in continuous provision.
Story Sliders
Tower Building
Videos
New Walk Museum and Art Gallery
53 New Walk, Leicester LE1 7EA
Phoenix Arts Centre
4 Midland Street, Leicester LE1 1TG
Attenborough Arts Centre
Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 7HA
Curve
Rutland Street, Leicester LE1 1SB
Why not check out the street art around Leicester?
Look on this website for places to find amazing street art
Leicester Street Art & Graffiti Guide
Van Gogh Immersive Experience
Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience
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