Design & Technology
At Horsenden our Design & Technology curriculum ensures that pupils' learning needs and interests are met through creative and motivating projects that cover a range of contexts. Pupils design, make and evaluate products using the broad range of materials and components specified in the statutory requirements, including construction materials, textiles, food, mechanical components and, in Key Stage 2, electrical components too.
Design & Technology projects allows pupils to develop and hone a range of skills, such as creativity, problem solving, thinking skills, resilience, risk raking, decision making, adaptability and independence.
All units ensure the essentials of good Design & Technology practice are embedded, as follows:
- User
Pupils have a clear idea of who they are designing and making products for, considering their needs, wants, interests or preferences. The user could be themselves, an imaginary character, another person, client, consumer or a specific target audience. - Purpose
Pupils know what the products they design and make are for. Each product should perform a clearly defined task that can be evaluated in use. - Functionality
Pupils design and make products that function in some way to be successful. Products often combine aesthetic qualities with functional characteristics. In Design & Technology, it is insufficient to design and make products which are purely aesthetic. - Design Decisions
When designing and making, pupils have opportunities to make informed decisions such as selecting materials, components and techniques and deciding what form the products will take, how they will work, what task they will perform and who they are for. - Innovation
When designing and making, pupils have scope to be original with their thinking. Projects that encourage innovation lead to a range of design ideas and products being developed, characterised by engaging, open-ended starting points for pupil's learning. - Authenticity
Pupils design and make products that are believable, real and meaningful to themselves i.e. not replicas or reproductions or models which do not provide opportunities for them to make design decisions with clear users and purposes in mind.
Within each unit pupils will explore a variety of tasks, including: investigative and evaluative activities where they learn from a range of existing products and find out about D&T in the wider world; focused tasks, where pupils are taught specific technical knowledge, designing skills and making skills; and Design, Make and Evaluate Assignments where pupils create functional products with users and purposes in mind.
The Design Process:
Over time, pupils learn that the design process can change depending on the design assignment. They practise creating, refining and improving their products for different purposes until they are satisfied with the end result. This can look different depending on the individual project:
Each unit revisits and develops skills taught previously, with a clear progression over time (detailed below, in the 'Progression of Skills and Learning' document). By the end of their time at Horsenden Primary pupils are equipped with the knowledge, understanding and skills to engage successfully and with increasing independence in their Design & Technology projects both now and in the future.
Curriculum Documents
Whole School Design & Technology Curriculum Map:
Progression of Design & Technology Skills:
Design & Technology: Curriculum in Action
Year 4 Let's get baking! - Cooking
Year 1 Structures unit - London models
Year 1 DT & Geography project
Year 2 textiles unit
Year 5 structures unit
Year 2 mechanisms unit
Year 6 food technology unit
Year 1 structures unit
Year 5 food technology unit