“Since every child is born with the power to create, that power should be released early and developed wisely. It may become the key to joy and wisdom and possibly self realisation. Whether the child becomes an artist is immaterial”.
Florence Case
Intent
At Beulah Junior School, we use Kapow’s Design and technology scheme of work which aims to inspire pupils to be innovative and creative thinkers who have an appreciation for the product design cycle through ideation, creation, and evaluation. We want pupils to develop the confidence to take risks, through drafting design concepts, modelling, and testing and to be reflective learners who evaluate their work and the work of others. Through the scheme of work, we aim to build an awareness of the impact of design and technology on our lives and encourage pupils to become resourceful, enterprising citizens who will have the skills to contribute to future design advancements.
The Design and technology scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of key stage 2 attainment targets in the National curriculum and the aims also align with those in the National curriculum.
Implementation
The Design and Technology National curriculum outlines the three main stages of the design process: design, make and evaluate. Each stage of the design process is underpinned by technical knowledge which encompasses the contextual, historical, and technical understanding required for each strand. Cooking and nutrition* has a separate section, with a focus on specific principles, skills and techniques in food, including where food comes from, diet and seasonality.
The National curriculum organises the Design and technology attainment targets under four subheadings: Design, Make, Evaluate, and Technical knowledge.
We these subheadings form the key strands:
- Design
- Make
- Evaluate
- Technical knowledge
Kapow Primary’s Design and technology scheme has a clear progression of skills and knowledge within these strands and key areas across each year group.
The National curriculum overview shows which of the units cover each of the National curriculum attainment targets as well as each of the four strands.
The Progression of skills shows the skills and knowledge that are taught within each year group and how these skills develop to ensure that attainment targets are securely met by the end of Key Stage 2.
Cooking and nutrition are given a particular focus in the National curriculum and are one of the six key areas that pupils revisit throughout their time in Beulah Junior School. These are:
- Cooking and nutrition
- Mechanisms/ Mechanical systems
- Structures
- Textiles
- Electrical systems
- Digital world
Kapow Primary’s Design and technology scheme has a clear progression of skills and knowledge within these strands and key areas across each year group. The National curriculum overview shows which of the units cover each of the National curriculum attainment targets as well as each of the four strands.
The Progression of skills shows the skills and knowledge that are taught within each year group and how these skills develop to ensure that attainment targets are securely met by the end of Key Stage 2.
Through Kapow Primary’s Design and technology scheme, pupils respond to design briefs and scenarios that require consideration of the needs of others, developing their skills in the six key areas. Each of our key areas follows the design process (design, make and evaluate) and has a particular theme and focus from the technical knowledge or cooking and nutrition section of the curriculum. The Kapow Primary scheme is a spiral curriculum, with key areas revisited again and again with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revisit and build on their previous learning.
Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work including practical hands-on, computer-based and inventive tasks. This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with a variety of learning styles. Differentiated guidance is available for every lesson to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are available when required. Knowledge organisers for each unit support pupils in building a foundation of factual knowledge by encouraging recall of key facts and vocabulary.
