Design & Technology

Intent

At Great Harwood Primary School, we aim to provide children with a DT education that is relevant in our rapidly changing world. We want to encourage our children to become problem solvers who can work creatively on a shared project. We want to offer the opportunity for our children to shine as young designers and engineers, learn new techniques and thrive in an atmosphere that encourages creativity.

Using the Cornerstones curriculum, design and technology is planned as a meaningful part of a wider project, to ensure children see the practical application of DT skills. The use of our curriculum also ensures the progression of skills, as it builds upon the children’s previous knowledge through a project-based approach. Our DT curriculum provides children with opportunities to research, represent their ideas, explore and investigate, make a product and evaluate their work. Children will be exposed to a wide range of media including textiles, food and woodwork; through this, children will develop their skills, vocabulary and resilience. As our children progress through the school, the Cornerstones curriculum ensures the children revisit techniques to help them to progress within the different areas and consolidate skills and knowledge.

Implementation

Our Design and Technology Curriculum is based on the National Curriculum and utilises the Cornerstones programme of study supported by a clear progression of skills and knowledge across the whole school. This allows sequential growth over time to be balanced and distributed evenly across every academic year, maximising the learning for all children allowing them to prosper and succeed.

Design and Technology is primarily interwoven through topic-based work and taught in blocks, playing a key part in the achievement of high aspirations. Teachers plan and adapt lessons and medium-term plans from Cornerstones for their pupils, so lessons are timely and fit for purpose, meeting the needs of, and engaging all. These sequenced projects can be seen on the overview on the website.

Our DT projects are placed alongside other subject projects where there are opportunities for making meaningful connections. Teachers choose how and when to cover aspects of the curriculum and make these links in ways that make sense within the whole picture. An example of this is the placement of Make Do and Mend in the Britain at War Project.

All projects contain focused, practical tasks in the Develop stage to help children gain the knowledge and skills needed to complete their Innovate tasks independently.
Throughout Key Stages 1 and 2, children build up their knowledge and understanding of the iterative design process. They design, make, test and evaluate their products to match specific design criteria and ensure they fit their purpose. Throughout the projects, children are taught to work hygienically and safely.