Design and Technology Intent, Implementation and Impact

Intent

We have deliberately built our Design and Technology curriculum around the principles of evidence-led practice. This is to ensure that pupils are equipped to successfully think, work and communicate like a designer. Unapologetically ambitious, our Design and Technology curriculum focuses on excellence in this subject, through range of disciplines and by referencing outstanding practitioners in this field. The intention is that teacher instruction inspires pupils to acquire knowledge as designers and technologists and enables them to skilfully apply their understanding. It is our intention that through studying Design and Technology, pupils become more expert as they progress through the curriculum, accumulating, connecting and making sense of the rich substantive and disciplinary knowledge:

1. Substantive knowledge 

This is the core subject knowledge, skills and vocabulary used about the designing and making processes and the contribution of designers from a range of genres, times and cultural traditions. We explore these through the lenses of substantive concepts, which are taught through explicit vocabulary instruction, as well as through the direct content and context of the study. The substantive concepts that we develop through our Design and Technology curriculum are:       

Food and Nutrition      Mechanisms      Structures      Systems       Electrical Systems       Understanding Materials       Textiles 

2. Disciplinary knowledge 

In addition to the core knowledge required to be successful within each of these elements, our curriculum outlines key aspects of how we intend to develop working as a designer. We organise our curriculum so that it focuses on developing different aspects of these competencies at different points. The features of working as a designer in our Design and Technology Curriculum are:

       Investigate      Design      Make      Evaluate       Apply

We define and regularly explore these through questioning, during pupils’ study:

•  Investigate – This includes researching and finding about existing products and designers.
•  Design - The art or process of deciding how something will look or work.
• Make - Create something by combining materials or putting parts together. 
• Evaluate - Form an opinion of the value or quality of something after careful thought.
• Apply - Use something or make something work in a particular situation.

Implementation

Learning Sequences

We organise intended learning into modules. These group the knowledge, skills and understanding that we want children to remember, do and use.

Each module aims to activate and build upon prior learning, including from the early years, to ensure better cognition and retention. It includes contextual reference materials, vocabulary modules, explanatory videos and annotated exemplifications. Teacher videos complement the content in each module and provide clear instruction about the techniques and skills that are taught. The exemplifications can be used to support assessment of pupil outcomes and to support teachers in developing their own subject knowledge. Teachers are also provided with a list of materials and resources that they will need to teach each module.

Central to the learning modules are activities designed to develop pupils’ oracy and vocabulary skills to enable them to use the language associated with design and technology meaningfully when talking about their work and the work of others. Background information is provided about the specific designers studied in the module. This information gives teachers an insight into where the designer sits in design history and their influences.

Key health and safety considerations needed for the block are identified to support teachers in making their own risk assessments to ensure the safety of pupils. The blocks highlight key tools, techniques and tasks for which potential risks need to be carefully managed.

An overview of the core content provides information about the skills covered across the term in each year group. This enables teachers to see the progression of skills covered within each aspect of design and technology.

 Impact

The best form of assessment in design and technology is at the point of delivery, while pupils are working. This helps us to understand pupils’ development as designers, rather than their ability to produce a prescribed end outcome. By encouraging pupils to articulate their thinking and reflections, we can understand which aspects of design and technology may require additional teaching and reshape teaching to support this.

Please see the Overall Curriculum Statements for more on Intent, Implementation and Impact.