Design Technology (DT)
Intent
At Birchen Coppice Academy we strive for pupils to use their creativity and imagination through inspiring and practical DT lessons which allow them to draw on disciplines from other subjects such as Maths, Science and Art. In DT we develop children’s skills and knowledge of designing, making, and evaluating using a range of materials; including food, in order to create a purposeful product. Pupils learn how to be resourceful, innovative and enterprising. In DT they will develop skills which make an essential contribution to daily life and the wider world.
Implementation
Throughout the school we teach progressive skills taken from the National Curriculum. In KS1 children develop fundamental skills within designing, making, and evaluating. During KS2 the children will develop their skills within designing and making whilst moving on to evaluating their work against their own design criteria whilst considering others views to improve and amend their work. We focus on ensuring that technical vocabulary is used and is built upon throughout the year groups.
The key skills taught are:
-Stitching and joining materials
-Mechanisms (KS1)
-Food preparation, cooking and preservation
-Pneumatic systems (KS2)
DT is taught within half term mini-projects, to further our pupil’s knowledge and experiences we also have additional days focused on DT, after school craft clubs and often teacher’s set homework projects where children can utilise the skills learnt in DT.
Impact
Ongoing teacher assessment of whether the children are showing understanding and implementation of the skills required in each aspect of the design, make and evaluate process allows teachers to recognise whether children are working at age related. Our skills progression map supports these observations through breaking down skills the children should be developing within each year of their DT journey throughout school. Lessons are scaffolded by questioning, resources and adult support so that DT is accessible to all pupils.