Highfield Primary School

DT

Introduction

At Highfield we feel that DT is an extremely important subject that all children should access on a regular basis. It allows all children the opportunity to express their individuality and creativity, and is invaluable in promoting self-confidence and allowing children to express themselves in alternative ways and through alternative methods. Design Technology prepares pupils to participate in a world of rapidly changing technologies and technological developments.

Intent

In DT our aim is:

For children to be autonomous and creative problem solvers both as individuals and as members of a team.
To combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetics, social and environmental issues, function and industrial practices.
To reflect on and evaluate their own and other’s designs and products.
For all children to become discriminating and informed users of products and to become innovators.
To enable children to talk about how things work and to draw and model their ideas.
To encourage children to select appropriate tools and techniques for making a product, whilst following safe procedures

Implementation

At Highfield we try to encourage as many cross curricular links as possible within foundation subjects to enable the children to apply knowledge while embedding key skills. As such we have created units of work for DT that follow our ‘Theme’ lessons. DT is taught as discrete lessons within this overarching thematic approach in the form of half termly DT days. This enables the children to fully immerse themselves in the project that they are working on for a sustained period of time. A two-year rolling program has been devised to allow for an even coverage of DT lessons across the phase. Within EYFS, activities are designed according to the Early Years Outcomes.

In DT children are taught about the 3 key strands of designing, making and evaluating. When designing they use existing products and designs for inspiration and spend time learning about the designers who created them. In KS1 they work to pre-defined design criteria, but by KS2 they are creating their own product specifications to work to. Specific skills that they need to make their products are taught in discrete lessons, and time is given to practise and develop these.

Impact

At the end of the process children understand the importance of evaluating their own and other’s products against the original design specifications, and reflect on any adaptions they might make to improve their product. Pupils develop detailed knowledge and skills across the curriculum and, as a result, achieve well. Pupils are ready for the next stage of education, employment or training. They have the knowledge and skills they need and, where relevant, they gain qualifications that allow them to go on to destinations that meet their interests and aspirations and the intention of their course of study. Pupils with SEND achieve the best possible outcomes. Pupils’ work across the curriculum is of good quality.

At Highfield the children have been very busy in their DT lessons. Check out these photos to see what they have been up to, from making Anglo Saxon pottage to pizzas, Eccles cakes to pancakes, to building motorised carousels to junk modelling.