Design Technology

“Every skilled artisan in whom the Lord has put wisdom and understanding may come to do the work.”
Exodus 35:31

At St Clare’s we value the importance of skill and creativity, and know that learning design technology allows children to explore their God-given talents and contribute meaningfully to their communities through innovation and craftsmanship.

Catholic Social Teaching is integral to our whole curriculum. Here are some examples of where this can be seen in Design and Technology:

Dignity of the Human Person

· In EYFS pupils make an emergency vehicle. This is linked to the Dignity of the Human Person as every human person is created in the image and likeness of God – every person’s life and dignity must be respected and supported from conception until the end of the natural life on earth.

Dignity of Work

· In Year 6 pupils explore celebrating culture and seasonality. This is linked to everyone’s right to productive work.

Family and Community

· In Year 4 pupils make a framed structure for a photo. This is linked to the special people in their life that they want to remember with a photo.

· In Year 6 pupils explore how we can celebrate culture and seasonality with food. This can be linked to pupils’ own culture, heritage and family.

Rights and Responsibilities

· In EYFS pupils learn to make soup. This is linked to how to keep our bodies healthy, respecting them and taking responsibility for their own health and wellbeing.

· In Year 1 pupils design and make a fruit salad. This is linked to healthy eating and showing respect for God’s creation. We also talk about everyone’s responsibility to look after themselves.

· In Year 2 pupils design and make a salad. This is linked to healthy eating and our rights and responsibilities when looking after ourselves and others.

· In Year 3 pupils design and make a healthy wrap. This is linked to healthy eating and our rights and responsibilities when looking after ourselves and others.

Solidarity and the Common Good

· In Year 1 pupils design and make a bridge structure. This is linked to how humans can work together to create a better environment for everyone.

Stewardship of God’s Creation

· In EYFS pupils observe the changing seasons and use this as inspiration for 2D & 3D models of snowmen. This is linked to God’s gift of the world and instils awe and wonder at his creation.

· In Year 2 pupils use recycled materials to make a car, living out the idea of looking after God’s gift of the world.

· In Year 6 pupils use recycled products to make bags, living out the idea of looking after God’s gift of the world.

The Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

· In Year 6 pupils design and make a bag for a WW2 evacuee. This is linked to how we care for the oppressed, poor or vulnerable in society.

Intent

Design Technology brings learning to life. It is a motivating context for discovering literacy, mathematics, science, art, PSHE and ICT.  At St Clare’s, Design Technology education involves two important elements – learning about the designed and made world and how things work, and learning to design and make functional products for particular purposes and users. Through Design Technology at St Clare’s, we aim to provide opportunities for all our pupils to develop their capabilities in these areas. By combining their design and making skills with technical knowledge and understanding, they learn to create quality products.

At St Clare’s, the DT curriculum aims to:

• Develop pupils’ critical thinking, enabling them to talk about what they like and dislike when designing and making things;
• Enable pupils to investigate and talk about how things work, and to draw and model their own ideas;
• Encourage pupils to select the most appropriate tools and techniques for making a product, whilst following safe procedures;
• Explore attitudes towards the ‘made’ world and how we live and work within it;
• Develop an understanding of technological processes and products, their manufacture and their contribution to our society;
• Appreciate the work of contemporary and historic designers and their contribution to the world in which we live;
• Foster enjoyment, satisfaction and purpose in designing and making things;
• Develop evaluation skills to critically analyse and improve products and designs;
• Develop the cross-curricular use of Design Technology in other subjects, particularly Computing, Maths and Science.

Through the DT curriculum, children should be inspired by engineers, designers, chefs and architects to enable them to create a range of structures, mechanisms, textiles, electrical systems and food products with a real life purpose.

Implementation

In accordance with the National Curriculum’s expectations, we aim to ensure that all pupils:

• Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences
• Become proficient in craft and design techniques
• Evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
• Know about great artists, craft makers and designers, and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms

Long term curriculum planning is based upon the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum 2014 Programme of Study for Design Technology. The Curriculum Map for DT shows how DT coverage is ensured across KS1, LKS2 and UKS2, using the ‘Projects on a Page’ scheme units of work, covered in each year group every term. All teaching of DT should follow the research, design, make and evaluate cycle. These units of work have been compiled, planned and agreed by the DT subject leader and class teachers and endorsed by SI Liverpool Curriculum Lead. DT plans, teaching and learning are monitored by the DT lead for coherence and progression. Teachers are careful to select topics and methods of delivery that are appropriate to the needs and experience of the pupils and to the local circumstances of the school.  Children showing extensive aptitude in DT will be celebrated in weekly celebration assemblies. Pupils may also have their work displayed in school and presented to parents.

Impact 

At St Clare’s Primary School, Design Technology is a popular subject with our pupils.  They favour making decisions for themselves, planning purposeful projects and doing practical work to see their ideas come to life. Children learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. Our children are becoming creative problem-solvers, both as individuals and as part of a team.

Key Subject Documents