D.T.

D.T. at Four Lanes Infant School

D.T. in Action!

D.T. at Four Lanes Infant School

Intent

At Four Lanes Infant School we aim to provide inclusive opportunities for all children to use creativity and imagination to design and make products that solve contextual problems, considering their own and others’ ideas. We strive for our children to have a passion for this subject and aim to inspire them to be the designers and makers of our future. All children should leave our school with the willingness to take creative risks in order to produce innovative ideas, through their design and ability to evaluate their outcome.

Implementation

At Four Lanes Infant School the Design and Technology curriculum consists of: DT objectives taught through discrete DT lessons linked to the overarching topic. DT units are taught three times through the academic year and are based on the National Curriculum.  The KS1 units of DT are covered through: food technology, materials, textiles, construction and mechanics. In the EYFS curriculum children are taught to safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques. They think about uses and purposes, represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through DT when making.

Teachers provide a practical curriculum which involves children taking part in meaningful activities in which they are required to discuss their plans and evaluate their own and other’s work in a constructive way.  Within lessons, we give children the opportunity to work individually, in pairs and in group situations. Children have the opportunity to use a wide range of materials and resources and will be supported to use tools and equipment safely and responsibly.

Pupils are taught:

1. Practical skills – developing the skills needed to make high quality products.
2. Design, make, evaluate and improve – developing the process of design thinking and seeing design as a process.
3. To take inspiration from design and technology throughout history – appreciating the design process and technological advances that have influenced the products we use in everyday life.

Teachers teach the safe use of tools and equipment and insist on good practice prior to starting the making part of a task. These include:

1. Contact with sharp objects including wood, needles, saws, knives etc.
2. The handling of food– children needs to ensure they are aware of personal hygiene rules such as wearing a clean apron, washing hands before handling food, storing perishable foods appropriately.

Impact

When pupils leave us at the end of KS1 they will:

• be able to generate, develop and communicate their ideas in designing products.
• be able to make informed choices in selecting and using a range of tools and equipment to meet their design needs safely.
• be able to reflect upon and evaluate both existing products and their own creations in a constructive way.
• know how to design, make and evaluate using taught knowledge in the areas of structures (stronger, stiffer, more stable), mechanisms (wheels & axels, levers, hinges) and food technology (principles of a healthy diet and preparing food safely).