Design and Technology (DT)
Vision
As part of our DT curriculum, pupils acquire the design experience, technical knowledge and practical skills needed to design and make a wide range of products. We believe that it's important to do this in a variety of contexts and disciplines including mechanical systems, structures, textiles, digital programming, electrical systems, cooking and nutrition. These products are intended to solve real and relevant problems and encourage the children to carefully consider the intended purpose and audience. We always look to link DT projects back to our wider curriculum in order to make it more meaningful and relevant to their learning. We want to inspire pupils to be innovative and creative thinkers who have an appreciation for the product design cycle (design – make – evaluate). We want our pupils to develop the confidence to take risks and to be reflective learners who evaluate their work and that of others. Through our programme of work, we aspire to foster an awareness of the impact of DT on our lives and to encourage pupils to become resourceful, enterprising citizens.
Aims
We aim to:
- Nurture and celebrate creativity and imagination
- Impart the knowledge and skills needed for our pupils to succeed in an increasingly technological world
- Provide a wealth of opportunities for our children to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts
- Introduce our pupils to a broad range of DT disciplines, techniques and materials
- Show our children how to critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products as well as those of others
- Develop an understanding of nutrition and to support our pupils in learning how to cook
- Make links to the wider curriculum with a view to building our children's schema of knowledge
Curriculum map
Our curriculum map for DT clearly sets out the sequence of learning in this subject:
DT Curriculum Map 2023-24
Policy
Our DT policy provides further details on how the subject is organised:
DT Policy 2023-24
What our children say
We created an environment for an animal and we used coding to program a micro:bit.
I loved making the pop-up book about a journey to New York.
In DT lessons, you feel like an adult.
We're making purses with an African pattern because we're learning all about Africa and it links to our key question.
In Year 5, we made a Trojan Horse and a cam-based toy based on the Second World War. This was linked to our History topic.
You get to make things that you can actually take home.
I like experimenting with things that you don't get to do in other subjects.
What it looks like
DT at Heybrook