Design and Technology
Design Technology Curriculum
Design and Technology develops children’s skills and knowledge in design, structures, mechanisms, electrical control and a range of materials, including food. It encourages children’s creativity and encourages them to think about important issues.
Our Design Technology curriculum has been designed to ensure that there is a clear build up children’s knowledge and skills – as well as meaningful links made to the wider curriculum where possible. As History, Geography and Science are our main ‘driver’ subjects – where cross-curricular links are made, it will typically be to one of these subjects. However, we believe in only making these links where they are meaningful and purposeful – hence, if it is not appropriate to link Design Technology to another subject – or doing so may “water down” the Design Technology skills and knowledge being taught, then the subject may stand alone.
We have used materials from the Design Technology Association – including the “Projects on a Page” documents – and used these to support us in the review and design of our curriculum.
We believe that the Design and Technology projects within our curriculum should include, to a greater or lesser degree, all of the D&T principles:
- User – who the products are for
- Purpose – what tasks the products will perform
- Functionality – how well the products will work
- Design Decisions – the opportunities children have to make choices
- Innovation – the scope children have to be original with their thinking
- Authenticity – how believable/real the products will be to the children
We use the Design Technology Principles Star Diagram to support us when developing new units of work within our curriculum.
Design Technology in the Early Years
More info coming shortly