Design & Technology

Intent

Our Design and technology scheme of work aims to inspire pupils to be  innovative and creative thinkers who have an appreciation for the product design cycle  through ideation, creation, and evaluation. We want pupils to develop the confidence  to take risks, through drafting design concepts, modelling, and testing and to be  reflective learners who evaluate their work and the work of others. Through our  scheme of work, we aim to build an awareness of the impact of design and technology  on our lives and encourage pupils to become resourceful, enterprising citizens who will  have the skills to contribute to future design advancements. 

Our scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of key stage attainment targets in the National curriculum and the aims also align  with those in the National curriculum. 

Implementation

The Design and technology National curriculum outlines the three main stages of the  design process: design, make and evaluate. Each stage of the design process is  underpinned by technical knowledge which encompasses the contextual, historical,  and technical understanding required for each strand. Cooking and nutrition* has a  separate section, with a focus on specific principles, skills and techniques in food,  including where food comes from, diet and seasonality. 

The National curriculum organises the Design and technology attainment targets  under five subheadings or strands:
• Design 

• Make 

• Evaluate 

• Technical knowledge 

• Cooking and nutrition* 

Our scheme has a clear progression of skills and  knowledge within these five strands across each year group.

Our Curriculum overview shows which of our units cover each of the National  curriculum attainment targets as well as each of the five strands. This can be found here

Our Progression of skills shows the skills that are taught within each year group and  how these skills develop to ensure that attainment targets are securely met by the  end of each key stage. This document can be found here

Through our Design and technology scheme, pupils respond to design  briefs and scenarios that require consideration of the needs of others, developing  their skills in six key areas:

• Mechanisms 

• Structures 

• Textiles 

• Cooking and nutrition (Food) 

• Electrical systems (KS2) and 

• Digital world (KS2) 

Each of our key areas follows the design process (design, make and evaluate) and has  a particular theme and focus from the technical knowledge or cooking and nutrition  section of the curriculum. The Kapow Primary scheme is a spiral curriculum, with key  areas revisited again and again with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revisit  and build on their previous learning.

Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired  and group work including practical hands-on, computer-based and inventive tasks.  This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with a variety of  learning styles. Differentiated guidance is available for every lesson to ensure that  lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are 

available when required. Knowledge organisers for each unit support pupils in  building a foundation of factual knowledge by encouraging recall of key facts and  vocabulary. 

Strong subject knowledge is vital for staff to be able to deliver a highly effective and  robust Design and technology curriculum.

Impact

The impact of Kapow Primary’s scheme can be constantly monitored through  both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Each lesson includes  guidance to support teachers in assessing pupils against the learning objectives.  Furthermore, each unit has a unit quiz and knowledge catcher which can be used at  the start and/ or end of the unit. 

After the implementation of Kapow Primary Design and technology, pupils should  leave school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their  secondary education and be innovative and resourceful members of society. 

The expected impact of following the Kapow Primary Design and technology scheme  of work is that children will: 

✔ Understand the functional and aesthetic properties of a range of materials and  resources. 

✔ Understand how to use and combine tools to carry out different processes for  shaping, decorating, and manufacturing products. 

✔ Build and apply a repertoire of skills, knowledge and understanding to produce  high quality, innovative outcomes, including models, prototypes, CAD, and  products to fulfil the needs of users, clients, and scenarios. 

✔ Understand and apply the principles of healthy eating, diets, and recipes,  including key processes, food groups and cooking equipment. 

✔ Have an appreciation for key individuals, inventions, and events in history and  of today that impact our world. 

✔ Recognise where our decisions can impact the wider world in terms of  community, social and environmental issues. 

✔ Self-evaluate and reflect on learning at different stages and identify areas to  improve. 

✔ Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for  Design and technology.