Intent

We aim to 

• inspire pupils to be innovative and creative thinkers who have an appreciation for the product design cycle through ideation, creation, and evaluation

• develop the confidence to take risks, through drafting design concepts, modelling, and testing 

• to be reflective learners who evaluate their work and the work of others 

• to build an awareness of the impact of design and technology on our lives 

• to become resourceful, enterprising citizens who will have the skills to contribute to future design advancements. 

Our Design and technology scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of key stage attainment targets in the National curriculum and the aims also align with those in the National curriculum. EYFS (Reception) units provide opportunities for pupils’ to work towards the Development matters statements and the Early Learning Goals. 

 

Implementation

Design and technology National curriculum outlines the three main stages of the design process: design, make and evaluate. Each stage of the design process is underpinned by technical knowledge.

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. 

At Send CE Primary School, we follow the Kapow Scheme of work. 

The Kapow Primary strands are: 

● Design 

● Make 

● Evaluate 

● Technical knowledge 

There are six key areas that pupils revisit throughout their time in primary school: 

● Cooking and nutrition               ● Mechanisms/ Mechanical systems               

● Structures                                    ● Textiles                     

● Electrical systems (KS2 only)    ● Digital world (KS2 only)

The Progression of skills document shows the skills and knowledge that are taught within each year group and how these skills develop to ensure that attainment targets are securely met by the end of each key stage. 

Through Kapow Primary’s Design and technology scheme, pupils respond to design briefs and scenarios that require consideration of the needs of others, developing their skills in the six key areas.

Each of our key areas follows the design process (design, make and evaluate) and has a particular theme and focus from the technical knowledge or cooking and nutrition section of the curriculum. 

The Kapow Primary scheme is a spiral curriculum, with key areas revisited again and again with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revisit and build on their previous learning. 

Teacher videos are available for each unit to ensure teachers are secure in their subject knowledge prior to teaching the unit. It is important that teachers feel confident delivering the full Design and technology curriculum and to deliver lessons of a high standard that ensure pupil progression. Strong subject knowledge is vital for staff to be able to deliver a highly effective and robust Design and technology curriculum. 

Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work including practical hands-on, computer-based and inventive tasks. This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with a variety of learning styles. 

Differentiated guidance is available for every lesson to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are available when required. 

At the start of each unit, pupils are encouraged to recall key facts and vocabulary from previous learning.

Children are introduced to new vocabulary at the start of each unit.

At Send CE Primary School, pupils learn three DT units across each year which includes one cooking and nutrition. We believe that cooking and nutrition is an important life skill, therefore this is taught each year.

The long term plan ensures coverage of the six areas. 

Each unit is blocked to ensure pupils can engage in a project from design to evaluation while it is fresh in their minds.

DT is generally taught in a designated classroom which is set up with DT equipment and is suitable for practical activities.

DT is taught as a whole class or in small groups.

 

Impact

The expected impact of following the Kapow Primary Design and technology scheme of work is that children will:

• Understand the functional and aesthetic properties of a range of materials and resources.

• Understand how to use and combine tools to carry out different processes for shaping, decorating, and manufacturing products. 

• Build and apply a repertoire of skills, knowledge and understanding to produce high quality, innovative outcomes, including models, prototypes, CAD, and products to fulfil the needs of users, clients, and scenarios. 

• Understand and apply the principles of healthy eating, diets, and recipes, including key processes, food groups and cooking equipment. 

• Have an appreciation for key individuals, inventions, and events in history and of today that impact our world. 

• Recognise where our decisions can impact the wider world in terms of community, social and environmental issues. 

• Self-evaluate and reflect on learning at different stages and identify areas to improve. 

• Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for Design and technology.