Design and Technology at Oldfield
The Design and Technology (D&T) curriculum at Oldfield follows the National Curriculum, encouraging pupils to develop creative, technical, and practical skills. It prepares children to participate confidently in a technological world by designing and making purposeful products, solving real-world problems, and understanding the impact of design and technology on daily life.
Aims of the Design and Technology Curriculum
The curriculum aims to ensure pupils:
Develop creative, practical, and technical skills to design and make products for specific purposes.
Evaluate and test ideas to improve their work and understand existing products.
Apply knowledge of materials, tools, structures, mechanisms, electronics, and food technology in their creations.
Understand the importance of nutrition and cooking for healthy living.
Key Stage 1 (Ages 5-7)
In Key Stage 1, pupils are introduced to basic D&T concepts. They:
Design purposeful, functional products based on specific criteria.
Make their designs using simple tools, materials, and techniques.
Evaluate their own work and existing products, identifying strengths and areas for improvement.
Explore and use basic mechanisms (e.g., wheels, levers, and sliders) in their creations.
Begin to understand cooking and nutrition, including preparing simple dishes and identifying healthy food.
Example activities include building toy cars with moving wheels, creating pop-up cards, or making fruit salads.
Key Stage 2 (Ages 7-11)
In Key Stage 2, pupils deepen their skills and understanding by tackling more complex projects. They:
Design products with increasing precision and creativity for specific users and purposes.
Make products by selecting and using appropriate tools, materials, and techniques with greater accuracy.
Evaluate their own and others' work, identifying ways to improve design and function.
Apply their knowledge of structures, mechanisms, textiles, electrical systems, and computer programming (e.g., coding simple systems).
Develop their understanding of nutrition and cooking, learning to prepare a range of healthy dishes safely and hygienically.
Progression and Integration
The curriculum emphasises progression in skills, knowledge, and techniques, ensuring that children become increasingly proficient problem solvers. Design and Technology is often linked to other subjects, such as science (mechanisms, electricity), maths (measuring and scaling), and art (aesthetic design).
By the end of primary school, pupils develop essential skills for designing, making, and evaluating products, fostering creativity, resilience, and an appreciation for the role of design and technology in everyday life.