D.T

Intent

At Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School, we understand that D&T allows our pupils to solve problems, think creatively and develop their ideas. These subjects offer pupils a chance to use creative thinking and activity within a defined purpose and tangible outcome. Our school is committed to nurturing pupils’ curiosity and creativity, as well as preparing them for living in a modern world where technology us rapidly changing and advancing.

At Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School, we believe that design and technology helps to prepare children for the developing world and encourages them to become curious and creative problem-solvers, both as individuals and as part of a team.

Through the study of design and technology, they combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues. Design and technology helps all children to become discerning and informed consumers and potential innovators. It provides children with a greater awareness and understanding of how everyday products are designed and made. We plan and provide a well-balanced Design and Technology curriculum using our whole-school Chris Quigley planning scheme.

Our aims are:

• 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 and develop their independence with this
• to encourage children to select appropriate tools and techniques for making a product, whilst following safe procedures;
• to ensure our planning provides opportunity for enjoyment, satisfaction and purpose in designing and making;
• to use ICT resources as much as we can to assist our designing and learning.
• to foster an attitude of children taking pride in their work/evaluations

Intent

Nursery and Reception

 In Early Years DT is explored though the umbrella of ‘Expressive Art and Design and Understanding the World. Children are encouraged to think creatively and use resources available in original ways. We develop children’s skills, knowledge and understanding of the world around them as an integral part of our work. Planning relates to children’s current knowledge, skills and interests and links to the objectives set out in the Early Learning Goals.

Early skills include:

• asking questions about how things work;

• investigating and using a variety of construction kits, materials, tools and products;

• developing making skills;

• handling appropriate tools and construction material safely, with increasing control.

Key Stage 1

Across Key Stages 1 and foundation stage, we plan design and technology activities so that they build upon prior learning of the children. We follow the CUSP curriculum planning scheme, to ensure we are providing a well-balanced progressive curriculum,  whilst successfully meeting the National Curriculum objectives. We give children of all abilities the opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding and ensuring progressive challenge, breadth and depth to their design and making.  The units are focused on the following areas:

• cooking and nutrition;
• materials;
• construction including mechanics.  

Subjects such as English, Maths, Science and Computing are reinforced through design and technology by giving children the opportunity to:

• apply methods of calculation and measurement to real life situations;
• write plans, instructions, rationales and evaluations;
• articulate ideas and compare and contrast their views with others;
• discuss views and clarify design ideas;
• use a range of increasingly technical vocabulary;
• apply scientific knowledge to designs and inventions;
• use a range of resources including computer design.

Enrichment

Mental Health

We believe as well as providing a way of expressing anxieties and uncertainty, the arts offer children other ways of being, channels for imagination, the exploration of possibilities and for the satisfaction within a safe space.

We recognise the potential for the sheer pleasure and intrinsic satisfaction of exploring and experiencing sound, colour, texture and form and the development of an appreciation of beauty. Open-ended opportunities for children to engage with multi-sensory resources in variety can support them in finding expression both individually and in collaboration with others. 

Impact

• Children have a greater understanding of the process required when designing and are able to talk through each stage with increased confidence as they move through the EYFS to the end of KS1.
• Children are reflective learners and use evaluative skills to review their DT work. 
• Children confidently communicate their ideas in a variety of ways, for example, by talking or drawing.
• We will be able to see that the children know more and remember in more in DT, through evidence in their Design journals, high quality DT work displayed around the school and pupil voice.
• We will also see they are able to recall prior learning and apply it.
• Children will then start their next year of learning with the necessary skills and knowledge to build upon.