Design Technology Subject Lead: Susannah Shields

Intent

At Telford Junior School, we believe Design and technology is an exciting opportunity for learning which is inspiring and practical. We want our pupils to use creativity and imagination to design, make and evaluate products in a variety of contexts. The children will have the opportunity to solve problems, drawing on their own, or others’ experiences in order to consider how to improve existing products. Children will learn a variety of skills across four different areas: mechanisms, structures, textiles and cookery. These skills are planned to be progressive throughout Key stage 2, following on from their prior learning in Key Stage 1.

Cookery lessons in lower key stage 2 focus on seasonality and where our food comes from. The cookery units link with cross curricular topics in each year group allowing children to design and make foods from around the world.

There are many opportunities to link the design technology units to other subjects such as mathematics, science, topic, computing and art. Here at Telford Junior School we want our pupils to develop a love for Design Technology, encouraging them to be innovative, creative and resourceful. 

Implementation

• Learning is built on prior learning and skills are developed each year
• Pupils learn about key people in history and how their designs and inventions have helped to shape the world
• Each year group teaches at least one design technology unit each term (3 per year)
• Each unit follows a clear teaching sequence of ‘Explore, Design, Make and Evaluate’
• Four main technical skills are covered – textiles, Structures, Mechanisms and Cookery
• Where possible, children are introduced to new topics in the context of real life problems
• Key vocabulary is taught and referred to throughout the unit
• Lessons are practical and engaging and adapted to suit the needs of all pupils
• Children are taught and encouraged to use a variety of tools and techniques
• Children are encouraged to evaluate existing products
• Children learn how to be self-critical in evaluating their own finished products, making suggestions of how they can be improved.  

Impact

Children will develop an appreciation of how Design Technology has helped to shape the world we live in today. Design and Technology is enjoyed by teachers and pupils across school, therefore encouraging them to want to continue building on this wealth of skills and understanding, now and in the future. Impact is measured through key questioning skills built into lessons, child-led assessment such as steps to success grids and summative assessments aimed at targeting next steps in learning. Pupils have a secure understanding of the key vocabulary taught and referred to at each stage of the teaching process, and a developing knowledge of the skills required. The pupils will be become more confident in problem solving, innovation and design. For some pupils we hope that this may be the start of their journey into a career in Design Technology, and who may just go on to design something that again, may help to shape the way we live in the future.