DT

Intent

At Court Farm Primary School, we aim to provide all pupils with an ambitious DT education that is equitable, inspiring, rigorous, practical and relevant in our rapidly changing world. We recognise that DT helps to shape the citizens of the future, therefore we aim to encourage pupils to be innovative and creative thinkers who have an appreciation for the product design cycle through ideation, creation, and evaluation. We encourage children to develop their confidence to take risks, through drafting design concepts, modelling and testing to be reflective learners who evaluate their work and the work of others. Within our DT curriculum, we aim to build an awareness of the impact of design and technology on our lives and encourage pupils to become resourceful, enterprising citizens who have the skills to contribute to future design advancements.

Implementation

At Court Farm Primary School, DT is taught on a half termly basis, using the KAPOW scheme to follow the National Curriculum and to enable all pupils to cover the three main stages of the design process: design, make and evaluate. Each stage of the design process is underpinned by technical knowledge which encompasses the contextual, historical and technical understanding required for each strand. Cooking and nutrition has a separate section, with a focus on specific principles, skills and techniques in food, including where food comes from, diet and seasonality. The KAPOW scheme sets six key areas of study that pupils revisit throughout their time at primary school. These are:

  • Cooking and nutrition
  • Mechanisms/ Mechanical systems
  • Structures
  • Textiles
  • Electrical systems (KS2 only)
  • Digital World (KS2 only)

In each scheme, pupils respond to design briefs and scenarios that require consideration of the needs of others, developing their skills in the six areas. Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work including practical hands-on, computer-based and inventive tasks. The variety of strategies mean lessons are engaging and inclusive for all.

Impact 

The impact of our Design and Technology curriculum is for the children to have a clear enjoyment and confidence in design and technology that they will then apply to other areas of the curriculum. Children will ultimately know more, remember more and understand more about Design Technology, demonstrating this knowledge when using tools or skills in other areas of the curriculum and in opportunities out of school. The skills and attributes they develop will benefit them beyond school and into adulthood: the ability to use time efficiently, work with others productively, show initiative, independence, resilience and manage risks effectively will ensure well-rounded citizens who will make a difference in the wider world.

In order to be confident in the impact of DT at Court farm, the subject leader will monitor the subject through the following methods:

  • Discussion with pupils
  • Gathering evidence of written activities
  • Monitoring displays
  • Ongoing discussion with colleagues
  • Learning walks
  • Staff questionnaire