Design Technology

Design and Technolgy at Warmsworth Primary School

We are committed to providing high quality first learning and teaching of Design and Technology.

Alongside the 2014 National Curriculum, it is our aim to develop:

• Pupils who have the knowledge, skills and resilience to fully engage as 21^st century citizens and be successful in design and technology in their secondary and tertiary education and in their careers in STEM industries.
• Children’s understanding and use of subject-specific vocabulary and support them in using new words in order to articulate their learning with confidence and clarity.
• Children’s investigative, creative, technical and practical skills and knowledge through immersion in collaborative and hands-on activities as they access the specific teaching of new skills and as they engage in opportunities for applying design and technology, maths and science learning.
• Opportunities for all children to consolidate skills from other subjects and where possible, link learning to the local community and industry.
• Enhancements to the curriculum including links with Primary Engineers for ‘Design and Rail Project ‘ competitions and welcoming inspirational visitors into school, including engineers, architects and designers as part of our Enterprise curriculum.

Design and Technology - Whole School Overview (2023-2024)

Design and Technology - Sample of year group scheme of work (2023-2024)

It is essential that all children receive high-quality first teaching in order to progress and succeed.

Our whole-school, long-term overview ensures that knowledge and skills are sequenced and provide repetition so that skills gaps are filled between year groups and to ensure that National Curriculum coverage is achieved each year. All staff and subject leaders contribute to the whole-school curriculum overview, and it is reviewed regularly to ensure that cross-curricular links are purposeful and that repetition allows for consolidation and progression.

Teachers plan from a progression of skills document for design and technology which is supported by a detailed Scheme of Work. A design and technology task or project is taught each term in every year group.

Learning is sequenced across school following an iterative process in the following way to ensure children can make a product for a purpose and that they have their own skill set to do so:

• identifying or reflecting on problems that require a solution
• activities that involve investigating and evaluating existing products
• focussed tasks to develop skills and knowledge
• designing and making ‘something’ for ‘someone’ for ‘some purpose’
• evaluation of own skills/ progress/ product
• improvements to original design or product

Enhancements to the curriculum, such as the Primary Engineers Rail Projects provide a local context for learning. The Primary Engineers Design Competition for all Key Stage 2 classes and Hitachi/ Primary Engineers Rail Projects for Year 1 and Year 4, mean that Design and Technology learning is meaningful and that art, science and maths skills are consolidated in inspiring ways. Primary Engineers learning culminates in a celebration event at the National College for High Speed Rail in Doncaster. Visitors to school include engineers, designers and architects as part of the Primary Engineers design project alongside the Enterprise curriculum.

The school is a member of the Design and Technology Association (DATA) and this means that up to date resources and subject information is accessed to enhance planning sequences and provision.

Almost all of our children, leave our school at the end of Key Stage Two, having made good or better progress in Design and Technology, and having the skills to take on their learning to Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and beyond.

100% of our Year 3 and Year 4 children achieved at least a ‘Pass’ in the Primary Engineers Design competition having met the baseline criteria, and more children were awarded Merit, Distinction or Distinction Shortlisted this year than last evidencing good progress in design skills.

Our children are able to use subject specific vocabulary in order to articulate their learning with confidence and clarity.

The links with industry that we make through our Design and Technology curriculum provide real purpose to children’s learning which ensures that any learning is deep and embedded.

Our children are enquiring, aspirational and are interested in careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.