Design and Technology

Design and Technology

At Widewell Primary Academy we value every pupil and the contribution they have to make.  We aim to ensure that every child achieves success and develops their skills. DT is both a key skill within school, and a life skill to be utilised throughout every person’s day-to-day experiences. 

 

 

Intent 

At Widewell Primary Academy, we encourage children to use their creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. We aim to, wherever possible, link work to other disciplines such as mathematics, science, computing and art. The children are also given opportunities to reflect upon and evaluate past and present design technology, its uses and its effectiveness and are encouraged to become innovators and risk-takers.  

 

Our aims in DT are:  

  • to prepare pupils to participate in tomorrow’s rapidly changing technologies;  

  • to provide opportunities for all the children to design and make quality products;  

  • to provide children with the opportunity to explore food and cooking techniques; along with healthy eating and environmental issues within food production;  

  • to develop design and making skills, knowledge and understanding to the best of each child’s ability, using and selecting a range of tool, materials and components;  

  • to develop an ability to criticise constructively and evaluate their own products and those of others;  

  • to help the children develop an understanding of the ways people in the past and present have used design to meet their needs;  

  • to reflect on and evaluate such techniques, its uses and effects;  

  • to prepare the children for living in a multi-cultural society by teaching consideration for other culture which will be both important and beneficial.  

 

 

Implementation 

DT taught at Widewell Primary Academy ensures pupils learn through a variety of creative and practical activities. Key skills and knowledge for DT have been mapped across the school to ensure progression between year groups. This also ensures that there is a context for the children’s work in DT, so that they learn about real life structures and the purpose of specific examples, as well as developing their skills throughout the programme of study. 

 

 

Impact 

Children will design and make a range of products, where a high-quality finish will be expected (made appropriate to the age and ability of the child), and through this our children will achieve the following:  

  • develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.  

  • build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users and critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others.  

  • understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.  

  • learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens.  

  • 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.