Design and Technology encourages children to be independent, creative thinkers and problem solvers. This in turn helps to prepare children for the developing world and encourages them to become curious and creative problem-solvers, not only as individuals but also as part of a team.

INTENT

At the Convent of Jesus and Mary Catholic Infant School & Nursery, Design & Technology is an inspiring and practical subject that stimulates pupils not only to be innovative but also creative. Design & Technology encourages pupils through a broad range of practical experiences to create innovative designs which solve real and relevant problems within a variety of different contexts.

At our school we use the KAPOW Primary Design & Technology scheme of work. This programme of study aims to inspire pupils to be innovative and creative thinkers who have an appreciation for the product design cycle through developing ideas, creation, and evaluation. The design process is fundamental to encourage pupils to identify real and relevant problems, critically evaluate existing products and then take risks and innovate when designing and creating solutions to problems. As part of the progress of learning, time is built in to reflect, evaluate and improve the design to support the learning process and to help them consider their own and others’ needs, wants and values. Across the school opportunities are provided for pupils to evaluate key events and individuals who have helped shape the world, showing the real impact of Design & Technology on the wider environment.

The KAPOW Primary scheme of work, along with our expertise and creativity of our teachers, builds an awareness of the impact of Design & Technology on our lives and encourage pupils to become resourceful, enterprising citizens who will have the skills to become the next generation of innovators.

At the Convent of Jesus and Mary Catholic Infant School & Nursery pupils have the opportunity to learn outdoors in our wonderful garden.  This provides pupils a wealth of opportunities to explore the outdoors and use it to stimulate and engage pupils during Design & Technology lessons. Pupils not only use our vegetable patch, but they also use the garden as inspiration for their ideas as well as a rich resource when creating their masterpieces.

KAPOW Primary Design & Technology scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of key stage attainment targets outlined in the National Curriculum.

IMPLEMENTATION

Design and Technology skills and understanding are built into lessons and follow an iterative process, allowing for the revision of ideas to become regular practice ultimately helping to build a depth to pupil's understanding. Through revisiting and consolidating skills, our lesson plans and resources help pupils build on prior knowledge as well as introducing new skills, knowledge and challenge. This ensures pupils will apply their knowledge and understanding when designing, making and evaluating.  The use of a spiral curriculum ensures that key areas are revisited again and again with increasing complexity, allowing the pupils to revisit and build on previous learning.

Teachers use a range of strategies, independent, paired and group work that includes practical hands-on, computer based and inventive tasks. This means that lessons are engaging and purposeful. Knowledge organisers are used for each unit to support pupils to build a broad vocabulary and encouraging them to recall key facts. Lessons are structured with a Learning Intention that help pupils understand what they are going to learn and with a Success Criteria that supports them to understand the context of the activity they are doing as well as identify how well they are doing.

Through the use of KAPOW, accurate Design & Technology subject knowledge is always a priority in lessons, it also allows practitioners to feel confident and supported in their teaching. Through our Design & Technology lessons, we aim to inspire pupils and practitioners to develop a love of Design & Technology or ‘creating’ and understand how it has helped shape the ever-evolving technological world we live in, this will enable pupils to become resourceful, creative, and skilful citizens.

IMPACT

The Design & Technology curriculum in our school is stimulating and engaging. The impact of using the full range of resources, including display materials and vocabulary, is consistently present in the learning environment across the school.

Pupils, not only will understand the functional and aesthetic properties of a range of materials and resources but also apply the principles of healthy eating and recipes, including key processes, food groups and cooking equipment. Whole-school parental engagement has improved through the use of Design and Technology-specific home learning tasks and opportunities suggested in lessons as well as overviews for wider learning. We want to ensure that Design & Technology is loved by teachers and pupils across school, therefore encouraging them in wanting to continue building on this wealth of skills and understanding, now and in the future.

Using KAPOW Primary scheme means we are able to regularly monitor pupils through formative assessment opportunities. The use of success criteria helps pupils to self-evaluate and reflect on learning at different stages and identify the areas they need to improve. Impact is also measured through key questioning skills built into lessons, child-led assessment aimed at targeting next steps in learning. Giving pupils a real sense of the impact that DT has on our daily lives and the wider world.