Design & 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.
![DT Principles Star Diagram](https://www.danebank.tameside.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/DT-Principles-Star-Diagram.jpg)
![DT Cogs](https://www.danebank.tameside.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/DT-Cogs.jpg)
![Presentation2](https://www.danebank.tameside.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Presentation2.jpg)
![Presentation3](https://www.danebank.tameside.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Presentation3.jpg)
Design Technology in the Early Years
More info coming shortly