Design Technology at Hillside:
Subject Leader: Miss McCann
Subject Support Coach: Mrs Guy
Link Governor: Richard Tunnicliffe
We are determined to stimulate the enthusiasm of every individual at Hillside, developing an enjoyment in learning about products and achieving success in their own creations. Design and Technology gives children the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and understanding of designing and making functional products. We feel it is vital to nurture creativity and innovation through design, and by exploring the designed and made world in which we all live and work
The objectives for Design and Technology in KS1 and KS2 are clearly set out for each year group in the National Curriculum.
The national curriculum for Design Technology aims to ensure that all pupils:
- 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
- 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
As Design and Technology lead at Hillside Primary, my role is to lead, develop and support DT across the school in cross curricular ways, to ensure all teachers have the subject knowledge, skills and resources to deliver interesting and challenging projects. Within my role, I am also responsible to ensure that I am equipped to lead the subject effectively and confidently, providing training and support to staff.
It is essential that children engage in DT projects that are relevant to their other curriculum learning in a meaningful way, enabling them to design and make products for purpose to meet a given design brief. Design and Technology at Hillside is taught through: investigate and evaluate activities, focused tasks and design, make and evaluate projects supported by subject specific knowledge and vocabulary, all of which become increasingly challenging as pupil progress through the school. (mapped out on the progression grids).
I am currently developing as a confident and knowledgeable subject leader, having implemented projects on a page for the whole school and being determined to develop a wider range of STEM opportunities and projects across the school. As a qualified facilitator, I also have the skills required to ensure that my knowledge is delivered effectively to staff back at school.
Early Years Foundation Stage
We teach Design and Technology in EYFS as an integral part of the topic work covered during the year. Ongoing design and make opportunities are planned from the objectives set out in the Early Year Framework, which underpin the curriculum planning for children age 3 - 5. Expressive Arts and Design ensures children use what they have learnt about materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through Design and Technology activities.
Curricular links with Design Technology
There are many opportunities across all year groups for children to further develop their English skills through their Design and Technology learning. Collaborative learning is an integral part of the way that Design and Technology is taught at Hillside and children are encouraged to ask and answer questions and discuss ideas in pairs, groups and as a whole class, and we also provide opportunities for evaluative feedback to others.
Maths naturally has clear STEM links, and through their learning, children are using and applying mathematical knowledge in examples such as:
Measuring ingredients during food projects, using a range of mathematical equipment when constructing products, understanding the use of shapes within structures and using their knowledge of angles in levers and linkages
Computing supports our teaching of Design and Technology wherever appropriate, particularly within KS2. The children use computing in a variety of ways such as research of products and recipes and understanding computer aided design.
As part of our curriculum planning, many DT projects now support the scientific understanding and concepts taught within in each year group. Examples of these links include: knowing about healthy foods when producing food projects, understanding materials when working with structures mechanisms and textiles in KS1. KS2 links include: understanding nutritional value of foods, reversible and irreversible changes and balanced diets during food projects, applying their understanding of circuits during the electrical systems projects and understanding the properties of materials when designing and making structures.
Design and Technology supports SMSC development by allowing pupils the opportunity to exercise imagination, inspiration, intuition and insight through creativity and risk taking in analysing, designing and manufacturing a range of products. It raises awareness of the moral dilemmas by encouraging pupils to value the environment and its natural resources and to consider the environmental impact of everyday products. By providing opportunities to work as a team, recognising others’ strengths and sharing equipment, children develop social skills and D.T. investigates how different cultures have contributed to technology, and it reflects on products and inventions
Assessment for learning
Assessment in Design and Technology is carried out both formally and summatively in order to gain an understanding of the children’s achievements and the next steps for their progress. Children are assessed during topics on both their subject knowledge and also their design and making ability. Assessments are carried out in various forms, including observing, questioning, discussions and end of unit reflections, as appropriate to the age of the children and the nature of the topic. A new assessment system has recently been introduced for Years 1- 6, which has been taken on board by staff and provides concise information about each pupil within school. These new assessments provide a continual ongoing picture of the progress of individuals in a way that is effective, relevant and manageable to all staff and allows tracking of each individual child’s progress as they move on their journey through Hillside.