Design & Technology

We follow a two year rolling programme in Design and Technology (DT). Please follow the links below to see an overview of our DT curriculum and progression in this subject:

Year A Overview Year B Overview DT Progression

INTENT

At Beech Grove we strive to provide a DT curriculum that is inspiring, rigorous and practical. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Our pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative and enterprising.

Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality DT education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.

At Beech Grove Primary school, we plan DT lessons to encourage children to become creative problem-solvers as individuals and as part of a team. Our lessons immerse the children in the design and making process, from analysing existing products, through to evaluating the finished version made by the children. The children are encouraged to talk about how things work (using appropriate vocabulary) and to draw and model their ideas.

Our curriculum has been carefully sequenced to ensure each unit builds on the children's prior learning. Pupils are encouraged to use the skills acquired in DT lessons, such as designing and making, analysing and applying their understanding and technical knowledge, across the curriculum. This notion can be seen across Reception to Year 6 when our children our faced with real life challenges, for example, preparing and cooking healthy food or combining DT with maths when making structures, printing and modelling.

IMPLEMENTATION

DT is taught discreetly each term, in half termly blocks. During each block, pupils have a weekly lesson to ensure they build their knowledge and skills progressively over time.

We use a scheme of work called ‘Projects on a Page’, created by The Design and Technology Association. This resource enables us to implement the National Curriculum for DT in an imaginative and engaging way, based on the universal principles of effective teaching and learning in DT. Each project includes a 20-step planning guide, an example of iterative design appropriate to the project, and practical advice on using the resources. Accompanying teacher and pupil PowerPoints provide additional guidance to support teacher subject knowledge. They also provide a high quality visual model for the children to evaluate.

Throughout the unit of work, teachers assess the children's knowledge and skills as well as assessing the quality of their final product at the end. This information is used to record pupils' achievement against the objectives for that unit of work. Each child is recorded as either working 'below', 'at' or 'above' age related expectations at the end of each unit.

IMPACT

Our children demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning in DT. They build a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products.

They develop a secure understanding of the research, design, make and evaluate process.

The large majority of children achieve age related expectations in Design Technology. As designers’ they develop skills and attributes they can use beyond school and into adulthood.