Intent

Our Design and Technology scheme of work 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 our chosen scheme of work, Kapow, 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.  

Our Design and Technology scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of key stage attainment targets in the National Curriculum and the aims also align with those in the National Curriculum. EYFS provide opportunities for pupils to work towards the Development Matters statements and the Early Learning Goals. 

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. 

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 the 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. 

Impact

Children will know more, remember more and understand more about Design Technology. Children will retain prior-learning and explicitly make connections between what they have previously learned and what they are currently learning. It is our intention that the learning environment across the school will be more consistent with design and Technology technical vocabulary modelled to the children, spoken and used by all learners.