Design and Technology (D&T)
We, at The Federation of Antrobus St Marks and Great Budworth Primary School aim to provide children with a D&T education that is relevant in our rapidly changing world. We want to encourage our children to become problem solvers who can work creatively. We believe that high-quality D&T lessons will inspire children to think independently, innovatively and develop creative, procedural and technical understanding.
As a Federation we use Projects on a Page planning to support the delivery of high quality Design and Technology lessons.
Design and Technology is split into several different categories. These are:
Mechanisms
Structures
Food
Textiles
Mechanical Systems
Electrical Systems
These categories are broken down into different areas and we map these out across year groups to ensure that children skills and understanding develop as they move through school.
Design and Technology in EYFS
Design and Technology skills and first learn and applied within EYFS.
Through continuous provision and focus tasks, children beginning to learn and apply skills that are vital for Design and Technology.
For example, pupils will learn how to use scissors correctly, how to glue two items together, creating/build objects based on a set criteria.
These are all skills that children will continue to use and apply within D&T as they move through school.
Design and Technology - The process
Each unit of work will have a task outline. This will explain what the children are going to be designing and making, the purpose and the user.
e.g. Design, make and evaluate a healthy sandwich for children for lunchboxes.
Investigate and Evaluative Activities
In this part of the unit the children will examine existing products that already exist in the world. They will evaluate them thinking about what is good about them and what could be done to make them even better.
e.g. The children investigated existing sandwiches that were already available to buy. Then they tasted different sandwiches evaluating their appearance, taste and texture. They also looked at if the ingredients used were healthy.
Focused Tasks
Within this part of the unit the children will be taught specific technical knowledge and skills they will need in order to create their product successfully.
e.g. The children were introduced to different types of knives and how they can be used effectively. They learnt how to spread butter onto bread, different ways to cut food and also how to use a grater.
Design, Make and Evaluate Assignment
The children will then use their knowledge to design a product that meets the needs of the user and the purpose. Design criteria may be established to support the children with their thinking. The children will come up with different ideas before selecting their final design. They will need to identify the tools and resources they will need to create their product.
Now the fun part! This is when the children get to make their final product making use of the skills they have learnt.
Once completed the children then evaluate their product against the design criteria deciding if it is suitable for the user and purpose.
e.g. The children designed and made their own healthy sandwiches. They tasted their own and asked their peers to taste and evaluate them. They then evaluate the product that they created deciding if it would be suitable and what changes they would make if they were to make the product again.
