Intent

At Trumps Green Infant School, Design and Technology enables children to become creative, resourceful and purposeful problem-solvers. Through designing, making and evaluating, pupils learn to identify needs, develop ideas, select appropriate materials and tools, make products and consider how they could be improved.

We want pupils to develop practical skills alongside an understanding of materials, structures, mechanisms, textiles, food and nutrition. They learn that successful design involves making choices for a particular purpose and user, testing ideas and adapting them when things do not work as intended.

We have high expectations for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, pupils with SEND and those who face other barriers to learning. We adapt tools, materials, processes, adult support and the level of challenge where appropriate so that every child can participate meaningfully in the same ambitious curriculum and develop increasing independence.

What we intend pupils to know and do

Pupils will develop knowledge and understanding of:

· how products are designed and made for a particular purpose and user;

· the characteristics and uses of different materials and components;

· how structures can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable;

· how simple mechanisms, such as sliders, levers, wheels and axles, can create or change movement;

· how textiles can be joined and used to create purposeful products;

· how ingredients can be selected and combined to prepare simple food;

· the principles of a healthy and varied diet and where food comes from;

· appropriate vocabulary for describing materials, tools, structures, mechanisms, processes and products.

Pupils will develop the ability to:

· explore and evaluate existing products;

· identify a need, purpose or user;

· generate and communicate design ideas through talking, drawing, models, templates and simple plans;

· select appropriate materials, components, tools and techniques;

· use tools and materials safely and with increasing control;

· cut, shape, join, assemble and finish materials appropriately;

· build and test structures and simple mechanisms;

· prepare food safely and follow appropriate hygiene routines;

· test and evaluate their designs and finished products against a simple design purpose or criteria;

· identify what has worked well and suggest how a product could be improved.

These components are deliberately connected: pupils use their knowledge of materials, structures, mechanisms and processes to make design decisions; they then apply practical skills to make and test a product; evaluation enables them to identify strengths, problems and possible improvements.

How Design and Technology develops from Reception to Year 2

In Reception, children develop the foundations of Design and Technology through the EYFS, particularly Expressive Arts and Design – Creating with Materials. They explore and select materials, use tools and techniques safely, construct with a purpose, experiment with form and function, and talk about their creations. They also develop early food preparation, hygiene and independence skills.

Across Years 1 and 2, the mixed-age curriculum is carefully sequenced so that children revisit and deepen practical skills and technical knowledge rather than simply completing separate projects. The curriculum develops through increasingly purposeful opportunities to design, make, test and evaluate.

Within the mixed-age curriculum:

· younger or less experienced pupils establish essential knowledge of materials, tools, joining, construction, food preparation and simple design processes;

· older and more experienced pupils revisit these ideas at greater depth, make more purposeful choices and increasingly work independently;

· pupils progressively improve their ability to communicate ideas through drawings, models, templates and discussion;

· practical skills become increasingly controlled, accurate and independent;

· pupils increasingly explain why they have selected particular materials, tools or techniques;

· pupils revisit structures and mechanisms, developing a growing understanding of how products work;

· evaluation develops from describing what they have made towards comparing the product with its intended purpose and identifying specific improvements.

This progression reflects the National Curriculum expectation that pupils engage in an iterative process of designing and making, rather than treating designing, making and evaluating as separate activities.

Design and Technology and the wider curriculum

Design and Technology provides meaningful opportunities to apply knowledge from across the curriculum.

· Mathematics: measuring, comparing size, shape and quantity, recognising patterns and using positional and spatial language.

· Science: understanding materials and their properties, forces, movement, living things and healthy eating.

· Art and Design: developing ideas, exploring materials, considering colour, pattern, shape and form, and communicating designs.

· Computing: using digital technology where appropriate to communicate ideas, research products or support design.

· English: developing subject-specific vocabulary, discussing ideas, explaining choices and communicating designs and evaluations.

· PSHE: developing independence, cooperation, perseverance, safe working habits and understanding healthy food choices.

Children also encounter Design and Technology in meaningful contexts such as the home, school, garden, playground and local community. This helps them understand that design is used to solve problems and meet people's needs in everyday life. These contexts are consistent with the National Curriculum's expectations for relevant design and making activities.

Intended end points

By the end of Reception, pupils should be able to:

· explore and select from a range of materials and resources;

· use simple tools and techniques safely;

· construct and make with a purpose in mind;

· experiment with different materials and ways of joining or combining them;

· talk about what they have made and how they made it;

· make simple choices about materials and resources;

· begin to adapt their ideas when something does not work as intended;

· develop age-appropriate food preparation and hygiene skills.

By the end of Year 2, pupils should be able to:

· explain that products are designed and made for a particular purpose and user;

· explore and evaluate existing products and identify useful features;

· communicate simple design ideas through drawing, discussion, models or templates;

· select appropriate materials and components for a particular purpose;

· use a range of tools safely and with increasing control;

· cut, shape, join and assemble materials to make purposeful products;

· build structures and explain simple ways of making them stronger, stiffer or more stable;

· use simple mechanisms such as sliders, levers, wheels and axles in products;

· select and use appropriate textiles and joining techniques;

· prepare simple food safely and hygienically;

· recognise the principles of a healthy and varied diet and understand that food comes from different sources;

· test and evaluate their products against their intended purpose or simple design criteria;

· identify what worked well and suggest specific improvements;

· use an increasing range of appropriate Design and Technology vocabulary;

· demonstrate increasing independence, perseverance, creativity and problem-solving when designing and making.

Impact

The impact of our Design and Technology curriculum is seen in pupils who can increasingly design with a purpose, select appropriately, make skilfully, test thoughtfully and evaluate meaningfully.

Implementation

To ensure high standards of teaching and learning in Design and Technology, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. Design and Technology is taught as part of a half termly or termly topic, focusing on knowledge and skills stated in the 2014 Primary National Curriculum in England. This provides a broad framework and outlines the knowledge and skills taught in each Key Stage.

Teachers plan lessons for their class using our progression of knowledge and skills document. The progression document ensures the curriculum is covered and the skills/knowledge taught is progressive from year group to year group.

A variety of teaching approaches are used based on the teacher’s judgement to ensure lessons that are engaging, broad and balanced. We provide a variety of opportunities for Design & Technology learning to take place inside and outside the classroom, making use of our outdoor learning areas.

In the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), pupils explore through a combination of child initiated and adult directed activities. They learn to:

• Use different media and materials to express their own ideas.
• Use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about form, function and purpose.
• Make plans and construct with a purpose in mind using a variety of resources.
• Develop skills to use simple tools and techniques appropriately, effectively and safely.
• Select appropriate resources for a product and adapt their work where necessary.
• Cook and prepare food adhering to good health and hygiene routines.

In Key Stage 1, pupils are taught to:

• 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.

Impact

Teaching and learning is evaluated by learning walks conducted by subject leaders and SLT where applicable, drop-ins, planning and work scrutinies, moderation sessions and pupil interviews. It is our aim that all children will achieve age related expectations in Design & Technology; ongoing assessments take place throughout the academic year, informing subsequent planning and enabling teachers to support and challenge pupils appropriately. Within Design and Technology, we strive to prepare children to take part in the development of tomorrow’s rapidly changing world.