Design Technology

Quality of Education

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At Uplands, we aim to provide a rich and engaging sequence of lessons, encouraging children to develop their skills and broaden their knowledge across the various areas of Design and Technology as they progress through Years 3 to 6. We also embed these valuable skills across the curriculum by incorporating cross-curricular subjects such as; Mathematics, Science, Computing, English and Art. We aim to support children in their designing, making and evaluating journey, to solve real and relevant problems through critical thinking and to be equipped with the knowledge in how to design and make products through creative and imaginative thinking.

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At Uplands Junior, we strive for all children to be ambitious, creative and think critically through a sequence of Design and Technology lessons. Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. It is a unique subject within the curriculum where children are given the opportunity to exercise their creativity through design and make something, for somebody for a specific purpose.  Through the curriculum, children will be inspired by engineers, designers, chefs and architects to enable them to create a range of structures, mechanisms, textiles, electrical systems and food products with a real life purpose. At Uplands Junior, all pupils use their creativity and imagination; they design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts and consider their own and others’ needs, wants and values. At Uplands, the Design and Technology curriculum allows for all children to be ambitious and empowers them to become independent and resilient. Our intent is to make sure that we ensure ambition for all children, regardless of their starting point. Children with lower starting points are not offered a diminished Design and Technology diet , but rather are supported to access more demanding and challenging work, through appropriate scaffolding and support and primarily through discussions. One of our key drivers is encouraging children to think, to learn and creatively solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team. Children are given opportunities to consider the designed world when creating their products, which are useful, functional and innovative and our high-quality Design and Technology Curriculum is designed to enhance essential contributions to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.

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Through a variety of creative and practical activities, we teach the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. The pupils design and create products that consider function, purpose and which are relevant to a range of sectors (for example, the home, school, leisure, culture, enterprise, industry and the wider environment). Teaching methods to achieve the aims and objectives of this document will vary according to the classroom situation and the work planned by individual teachers. However, the following points are incorporated in all year groups to help to achieve common themes and quality outcomes:

 

• Design and Technology is taught in the context of current topics and themes in the classroom. Every lesson possesses tangible and evident cross-curricular links to other subjects.

• The subject curriculum is designed and delivered in a way that allows pupils to transfer key knowledge to long-term memory. Progression and continuity is sustained by regular consolidation of previously taught skills and knowledge. This includes sequenced lessons that incorporate new knowledge and skills, which build on what have been taught before. The acquisition of new ones will then be a smoother process.

• Design and Making tasks should serve to reinforce collaborative work in group sizes that allow a challenging and appropriate division of labour.

• All pupils should have equal opportunities to access the curriculum irrespective of race or gender. Provision should be made for pupils with SEND to be provided with appropriately challenging tasks to develop their D&T capability.

• Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, all children develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world and significant contributions that engineers, designers, chefs and architects have made.

 

The types of activities that take place broadly fall into one of the following categories. Over a year, there is a balanced blend of all three: 

Focused skills tasks – a highly structured session, working towards a predetermined outcome with a particular focus on acquiring knowledge or skills to secure a specialised capability in D&T.

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Design tasks – these facilitate a freer design & make experience; pupils have the opportunity to explore their creative potential by applying their existing skills.

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Investigation tasks – pupils evaluate and assess the advantages and disadvantages of a range of other products in terms of their design elements. This could be achieved through observation, handling, testing and disassembly.

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We ensure the 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 and critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others.

• understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook. Children will design and make a range of products. A good quality finish will be expected in all design and activities made appropriate to the age and ability of the child.

 

Teachers should collect evidence of individual, group or class work for assessment purposes, chosen from the following formats: Pupils’ annotated sketches/plans/drawings; photos/videos of pupils ‘at work’; specific assessment assignments to evaluate a particular capability; photos/videos of part or completely finished work (products); children’s own written/verbal evaluations of their tasks/activities; appraisal/evaluation of the finished article.

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These types of records can be used to accumulate a snapshot of current D&T practice within the subject portfolio for the whole school.

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Displays of work will serve to reinforce and celebrate success in D&T activities.

We use both formative and summative assessment information in design and technology lessons. This is collected through direct observation, discussion with pupils, peer assessment and pupil self-assessment opportunities. Staff use this information to inform their short-term planning allowing staff to implement support were necessary. We ensure that SEND, disadvantaged and more able children are given as much support as possible to reach their full potential in every lesson. Key skills have been carefully allocated to year groups to ensure progression across key stages. Monitoring in design and technology includes: DT book scrutinies, learning walks, pupil and staff voice. An annual report of the child’s attainment and effort in D&T is to be included the Parent’s Report issued in the summer term.

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As designer’s, our children learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens and apply this knowledge beyond school and into adulthood. 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 which is the skills we want children at Uplands Junior to acquire.

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