The National Curriculum for Design and Technology aims to ensure that all pupils:
- Develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world;
- Build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users;
- Critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others;
- Understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.
At Westwood Primary School the Design and Technology curriculum is delivered through both the Topic curriculum and discretely. Projects are linked to topics where possible.
Each year lessons cover both the ‘Cooking and Nutrition’ and ‘Processes’ aspects of the curriculum and pupils are taught to design, make and evaluate their products and increase in technical knowledge. For each project pupils are taught to consider the five Design and Technology principles:
- User;
- Purpose;
- Innovation;
- Authenticity;
- Functionality and
- Design Decision
During the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) pupils explore and use a variety of media and materials through a combination of child initiated and adult directed activities. They have opportunities to learn to:
- Explore the textures, movement, feel and look of different media and materials;
- Respond to a range of media and materials developing an understanding that they manipulate and create effects with these;
- Use different media and materials to express their own ideas;
- Construct with a purpose in mind using a variety of resources;
- Develop skills to use simple tools and techniques competently and appropriately;
- Select appropriate resources for a product and adapt their work where necessary.