Curriculum Narrative:
Design and Technology is a practical and extremely valuable subject. It enables children and young people to actively contribute to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of themselves, their community and their nation. It teaches them how to take risks and so become more resourceful, innovative, enterprising, innovative and capable. It encourages them to develop a critical understanding of the impact of design and technology on daily life and the wider world. It also provides excellent opportunities for children to develop and apply valuable judgements of an aesthetic, economic, moral, social and technical nature both in their own designing and when evaluating the work of others. Our Design Technology curriculum aims to excite and ignite our pupils’ interest in design and technology and prepare them to participate in the development of a rapidly changing world. In each unit of work, they design and make products for a specific need or purpose – solving real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts. Through carefully constructed sequences of learning, they are taught about the world we live in and develop a
wide range of skills embedded through the threshold concepts of designing, making, evaluating and problem solving – they are exposed to an abundance of technical knowledge in each and every lesson.
The curriculum has been carefully created by Primary Subject Leads and Secondary Heads of Department colleagues, who have worked collaboratively to create high quality toolkits to deliver the threshold concepts. An effective Design and Technology curriculum should encompass all of the threshold concepts within the delivery of each project.
Threshold concepts
Design:
- Using research and exploration to identify and understand user needs.
- Identifying and solving design problems.
- Developing specifications to inform the design of innovative, functional and appealing products in a variety of situations.
- Using a variety of approaches to generate creative ideas.
- Developing and communicating design ideas in a variety of formats.
Make:
- Selecting and using specialist tools, techniques, processes, equipment and machinery.
- Selecting and using a wide and complex range of materials, components and ingredients – considering their properties.
- Preparing and cooking a variety of dishes using a range of cooking techniques
Evaluate:
- Analysing the work of past and present professionals.
- Investigating new and emerging technologies.
- Using a design specification and user feedback to test, evaluate and refine ideas.
- Exploring the impact of design and technology on society and the environment.
Technical Knowledge:
- Understanding and using materials based on their properties and structural performance.
- Understanding how mechanical systems are used in products to change movement and force.
- Understanding how electrical and electronic systems are used and can be powered within products.
- Applying computing and programmable computers to embed intelligence into products.
- Understanding the principles of a healthy and varied diet.
- Understanding seasonality and food sources.
In order to equip children with a breadth and depth of knowledge, the curriculum embeds these threshold concepts through the completion of three projects/units in each year group:
- Cooking and Nutrition
- Design and Make
- Stretch.
In EYFS, pupils will be introduced to Cooking & Nutrition by preparing and tasting a range of fruits. Design skills will be developed through junk modelling, providing opportunities to use a range of motor skills. As they move into Year 1, pupils will further develop their design skills while making a ‘moving picture’; simple mechanisms will be introduced and motor skills will be honed while using tools and making simple devices. Fruit smoothies will be created, allowing them to investigate food sources and origins. In Year 2, pupils will continue to investigate food sources and origins while preparing their own sandwiches. A communal patchwork piece will be created, allowing them to develop textile skills, focusing upon modelling and product knowledge. Measuring, marking and joining skills will be used while working on a stretch unit – a castles project. On entering Year 3, the pupils will further develop their design skills while developing their own packaging. They will be introduced to programming via micro-bit technology, learning about simple electrical circuits and components. Fruit crumbles will be baked, allowing pupils to gain skills in food preparation and understand the safe use of a heat source. Moving into Year 4, pupils will look at seasonality and a healthy balanced diet while cooking their own pasta sauce. Creative shoes will be designed while pupils learn to work to a design criteria. Assembling, joining and combining skills will be further developed. Pupils will also work in groups on a range of Dyson challenges. In Year 5, pupils will build upon their knowledge of mechanisms and further develop their ability to design and make 3D outcomes. Sewing skills will be honed during the stretch project, focusing upon different types of stitch and applique techniques. Whilst making pretzels, pupils will look at food processing and options for adapting recipes. As they enter into Year 6 pupils will utilise the textiles skills gained from prior learning while designing and making a felt phone case. The bridges project will allow them to gain further knowledge about structures while building upon their assembling, joining and combining skills. While cooking a curry, pupils will learn more about recipe adaptation while further developing their food hygiene and preparation skills.
Each project has been specially designed to provide children with the wide range of skills and technical knowledge needed to allow them to succeed and thrive in Design Technology. Materials have been designed to ensure clarity and consistency of delivery to ensure an agreed standard. Core skills are sequenced to be revisited at least once within each key stage to ensure that knowledge is built upon and developed through retrieval and skill practise. Recall is a feature of theory sessions, developing student’s ability to transfer skills between projects and different media.
Curriculum Overview:
Design and Technology:
Intent
Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, children design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Children learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth
and well-being of the nation.
Implementation
The threshold concepts across the Design and Technology curriculum are taught sequentially over time to develop technical knowledge, skills and understanding from EYFS to Y6 and beyond.
The curriculum aims to ensure that all children:
• Develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
• Build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users
• Critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
Impact
The Design and Technology curriculum at BCCET allows all children:
• To develop their God given talents and gain the technical knowledge and skills needed to become confident individuals
• To understand and evaluate technical information.
• To make informed decisions that impact on their own lives and the lives of those around them.
• To develop an increasing awareness of the moral and ethical dilemmas technical discovery can bring.
• To become active citizens of the world.
• To receive regular oral and written feedback so children are aware of their position on the learning journey, their strengths and targets, which they consider when taking their next steps.
Cooking and Nutrition:
Intent
Cooking & Nutrition is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, children design and make dishes that consider their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics and science. Children learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of world cultures and cuisines, they develop a critical understanding of individuals’ dietary requirements and the environmental impact of sourcing ingredients. High-quality Cooking and Nutrition education makes an essential contribution to the health, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.
Implementation
The threshold concepts across the Cooking & Nutrition curriculum are taught sequentially over time to develop technical knowledge, skills and understanding from EYFS to Y6 and beyond.
The curriculum aims to ensure that all children:
• Develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
• Build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users
• Critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
Impact
The Cooking & Nutrition curriculum at BCCET allows all children:
• To develop their God given talents and gain the technical knowledge and skills needed to become confident individuals
• To understand and evaluate technical information.
• To make informed decisions that impact on their own lives and the lives of those around them.
• To develop an increasing awareness of the moral and ethical dilemmas technical discovery can bring.
• To become active citizens of the world.
• To receive regular oral and written feedback so children are aware of their position on the learning journey, their strengths and targets, which they consider when taking their next steps.