Westwood Farm School

DT Curriculum

“Every great design begins with an even better story.”
 — Lorinda Mamo

Subject Lead : Miss Zoe Pluck

Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject.  Using creativity and innovation, the children at Westwood Farm Schools are given opportunities 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.

There are three core activities our children engage with in Design and Technology:

  1. Investigating and evaluating existing products
  2. Focused tasks in which children develop aspects of knowledge and skills
  3. Designing and making activities in which children design and make 'something' for 'somebody' for 'some purpose'

Our children are taught to select and use appropriate tools safely and effectively to make a product. In all areas of Design and Technology the children are encouraged to consider the effectiveness of their designs and requirements of the product. They will have the opportunity to learn and extend their understanding, experience and application in the use of technology, including computing, in as wide a variety of situations as possible.

The skills and knowledge learned in Design Technology help with learning across the curriculum. For example, the knowledge about the properties of materials helps in science and the practice of measuring accurately helps in maths.

Why is primary D&T important?

Design and Technology is about providing opportunities for children to develop their capability. By combining their design and making skills with knowledge and understanding they learn to create quality products.

Children like making decisions for themselves and doing practical work. They love creating products they can see, touch – and even taste – for themselves. They feel proud to have done so.

Design Technology brings learning to life. It is a motivating context for discovering literacy, mathematics, science, art, PSHE and ICT. Primary Design and Technology also provides a firm basis for later learning in the subject and a platform for developing skills in literacy and numeracy.

Aims and Objectives

  • to deliver programmes of study for Key Stages 1 and 2 of the National Curriculum in Design and Technology.
  • to develop imaginative thinking in children and to enable them to talk about what they like and dislike when designing and making.
  • to enable children to talk about how things work, and to draw and model their ideas.
  • to encourage children to select appropriate tools and techniques for making a product, whilst following safe procedures.
  • to explore attitudes towards the made world and how we live and work within it.
  • to develop an understanding of technological processes, products, and their manufacture and contribution to our society.
  • to promote enjoyment, satisfaction, and purpose in designing and making.

The Curriculum

The Design and Technology curriculum contains two strands of subject content:

Design and making. Each Design and Technology project should include elements of:

  • Designing
  • Making
  • Evaluating
  • Technical Knowledge

Cooking and nutrition. When designing products, pupils should consider:

  • User – pupils should consider who their products are for
  • Purpose – pupils should decide which tasks their products will perform
  • Functionality – pupils should think about how their products will work
  • Design Decisions – pupils should have opportunities to make informed choices
  • Innovation – pupils should have scope to be original with their thinking
  • Authenticity – pupils should design and make products that are real, believable and can be evaluated through use

Curriculum Coverage

Children will undertake at least three Design and Technology units per year. One of these must be a Food project.

 DT_Coverage.pdf