Subject Leader – Miss Smith
DT Rationale
“Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you look deeper, it’s really how it works.” Steve Jobs
“Technology makes possibilities. Design makes solutions.” John Maeda
Design and Technology prepares children to deal with tomorrow’s rapidly changing world. It encourages children to become independent, creative problem solvers and thinkers as individuals and part of a team. It enables them to identify needs and opportunities and to respond to them by developing a range of ideas and by making products and systems. Through the study of Design and Technology, they combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues, as well as functions and industry. This allows them to reflect on and evaluate past and present technology, its uses and impacts. DT is an inspiring and practical subject requiring creativity, resourcefulness and imagination. Children learn to take risks, be reflective, innovative, enterprising and resilient.
The Design and Technology curriculum at Willington Primary School aims to promote our children’s cultural capital by enabling children to develop their practical skills in areas including sewing, building structures and food technology. It is into these practical, skill-based jobs that many of our children enter within the local area and our curriculum aims to introduce the skills required for these professions. We promote a diverse curriculum that challenges gender stereotypes. At Willington, the ethos of DT instils resilience, perseverance and creative thinking and problem solving within our children from Early Years to Year 6. It allows our children to adapt their thinking, to fail and feel safe. Instilling confidence to persevere and go on to try again and achieve. Our curriculum encourages children to develop their vocabulary and oracy skills through practising new language and implementing it in a variety of contexts. Our curriculum embeds life skills and knowledge. It enables children to understand the importance of food for health and nutrition; to be able to look after themselves and others in the future. At Willington Primary School our curriculum encourages children to build relationships. In Design and Technology, we teach and enable our children to work both collaboratively on a project or independently. It allows them to reflect, adapt and achieve with confidence.
Willington Primary School DT Intent
At Willington Primary we want Design and technology to be an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world.
