Design and Technology

Intent

At Truro Learning Academy, we want our children to become confident, independent problem solvers, who view challenges with curiosity and a ’what about trying…’ mindset - both at school and in their wider life beyond. 

When presented with practical problems, our children will be able to combine their skills and prior knowledge to come up with a range of possible solutions, and then use their experience and understanding to focus in on what they consider to be the best design choice. They will have the practical and technical skills needed to put that idea into practice - and the means to overcome whatever barriers may present themselves.

Children in every class will be given opportunities to explore new materials, tools, mechanisms and designs, and will be encouraged to explore all of these to find both their potential and their limitations. Each unit of work will have a clear, practical goal as its outcome, accompanied by design criteria against which finished products can be tested and evaluated. Our children will also learn how to use these materials and tools safely and responsibly.

Implementation

At Truro Learning Academy we follow the ‘Design, Make, Evaluate’ approach to the teaching of DT, as outlined in the National Curriculum Programmes of Study document. The technical skills which we teach encompass the following areas: Construction (mechanisms and movement/ structure), Materials for Purpose (Textiles) and Cooking and Nutrition. We feel that the teaching of Cooking and Nutrition is a great importance and holds great relevance in current times. For this reason, children will study a Cooking and Nutrition unit every year. Additionally, Construction and/or Materials for Purpose units will be covered. This ensures that the technical skills are covered with greater depth, and that – by the end of each key stage – children will have reached the expectations of the National Curriculum. Our Design Technology progression map clearly states the knowledge and skills to be taught in each unit, ensuring coverage and progression.

During DT sessions, children are encouraged to be inquisitive, and we encourage questions to deepen children’s understanding of product and product design. They will evaluate existing products to inform their designs and, as they move up through the school, will be encouraged to draw detailed designs and make prototypes to refine their designs before creating their final piece. Whilst making their products, staff will guide them through the technical skills they will require, modelling good practice and highlighting safety considerations with the children. Through the evaluation stage of our ‘Design, Make, Evaluate’ approach, children are encouraged to reflect upon their final products, considering how they could have altered their design or techniques to impact the overall appearance and usability of their product.

Impact

The impact of these things is that pupils will leave our school with a greater appreciation of the process behind designing and creating some of the products which they use each day.

Through the promotion and delivery of design technology, children will be able to develop other core skills, such as;

• speaking  and listening opportunities through exchanging ideas, recording and evaluating their work and working collaboratively with their peers;
• application of number, through measuring, collecting data and recording;
• use of ICT through researching, preparing and making of their products as children work on the development ideas;
• improving learning performance, through carrying out focused practical tasks and evaluating the design and making process;
• problem solving, through dealing with conflicting requirements and considering alternatives.