Curriculum Intent

At St Edward’s School, we acknowledge that D&T is an important part of our broad and balanced curriculum. D&T gives children the opportunity to develop creative and practical skills, knowledge and understanding of designing and making functional products. Children develop skills of curiosity, exploration and discovery. They are given an opportunity to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.

The intention of the D&T curriculum is for children to build and apply knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design products for a specific purpose. We intend to make products using developed technical and practical skills and develop an understanding of the importance of making on-going changes and improvements during the making stage. Children are encouraged to use problem solving skills to solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts as individuals and part of a team. Children will develop an understanding of critiquing, evaluating and testing ideas and products. D&T will be interwoven in other curriculum subjects, primarily linked with the appropriate seasonal driver topic, to achieve a finished product. It is intended that children will develop crucial life skills within cooking and nutrition. They will understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to prepare and cook basic dishes using a range of techniques and develop an understanding of seasonality. This will promote an enjoyment and passion for healthy cooking which is a crucial life skill that enables pupils to feed themselves and others affordably and well, now and in later life. We intend to showcase evidence of D&T within school via a display board or use of a ‘big book’ per term.

Curriculum Implementation

The teaching and implementation of the Design and Technology Curriculum at St Edward’s is based on the National Curriculum which provides a well-structured approach to this subject. It will be primarily liked to other foundation subjects wherever possible across both Key Stages which is in line with our cross curricular approach. D&T skills are built upon each year as children progress through the school. D&T is assessed through the use of formative assessments which are completed by class teachers at the end of each term to ensure objectives are met.  Each year group commits to designing, making and evaluating at least one D&T product linked to the appropriate seasonal driver topic. D&T lead completes resource audits to ensure all year groups have the supplies needed to complete their desired product. In terms of cooking and nutrition, year groups have access to the onsite kitchen on a timetabled basis to prepare and make basic dishes using a range of techniques.

EYFS follow the ‘Development Matters in the EYFS’ guidance which aims for all children in reception to have an ‘Expressive Arts & Design and Understanding of the World; people and communities, the world and technology’ by the end of the academic year.

Curriculum Impact

The formative assessments of children’s learning in Design and Technology are an ongoing monitoring process of children’s understanding, knowledge and skills. The assessment is used to inform differentiation, support and challenge required by the children. It allows us to track which children are meeting expectations and which are exceeding expectations as well as those who may be achieving below expected. Summative assessment is conducted termly by class teachers across each year group to inform the subject leader of progress and skills and knowledge still to be embedded.