Each of the 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 build on their previous learning.

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The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum provides a bedrock and supports children’s understanding of Design and Technology through the planning and teaching of ‘Expressive Arts and Design’ and ‘Understanding the World’. This planning considers how design skills range from children’s first ideas developed from first-hand experience of the world in EYFS which will be built upon in KS1 and KS2.  In EYFS, children learn about Design and Technology through first-hand experiences and explore how things are made and how things work through the sharing of books, stories, poems, small world play, role play and visits.

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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. At Withycombe Raleigh C of e Primary School we scaffold all lessons to ensure they can be accessed by all pupils and also provide opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning as much as possible.

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Design and Technology lessons at WRPS utilise the Principles of Instruction, as suggested by Rosenshine (2010). Four strands in particular (Reviewing Material, Questioning, Explaining, and Modelling and Practising) help children to avoid overload of their short-term memories and to make connections to their prior learning and retain key concepts.

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All our lessons begin with a ‘review’ activity which encourages children to retrieve and recall their prior skills or knowledge and/or vocabulary. These well-thought-out reviews allow children to draw upon previous successes and content (whether in the previous lesson, the previous week, the previous term or the previous year), preparing them for what they are about to learn or the skill that they are about to develop.

At the end of their primary school journey, children will be provided with the opportunities, knowledge and skills to be able to: design and communicate specific aspects of a design and to choose appropriate materials, tools and techniques to achieve this.

 

Impact

 

Children at Withycombe Raleigh C of E Primary School will acquire the skills and knowledge to develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world. Knowledge and skills will have developed progressively to not only enable them to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum, but to prepare pupils to become competent designers and innovators in secondary education and as an adult in the wider world / world of work.
 

We aim for children to have an enjoyable experience when developing a keen interest in their learning about Design and Technology – evidenced in a range of ways, including pupil voice.

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Impact is constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Furthermore, for each unit we use a quiz or knowledge catcher at the start and end of the unit to help assess children’s progress.

We believe pupils should leave school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their secondary education and be innovative and resourceful members of society.

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Our Design and Technology curriculum aims to ensure 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.

• Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National Curriculum for Computing.

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