Design & Technology

Design & Technology should be the subject where mathematical brainboxes and science whizz-kids turn their bright ideas into useful products - James Dyson

Intent

At Woodlands we aim to provide a high quality, practical Design & Technology education which engages, inspires and challenges children. We aim to equip them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, take risks, become resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. 

We expect children to think critically, solve problems independently as well as working as a team, and develop a more rigorous understanding of Design & Technology. We anticipate that children will reflect, evaluate past and present design technology, its uses and effectiveness and how design and technology shapes our history and contributes to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation.

Children will take inspiration from engineers, designers, architects and chefs and use their own creativity and imagination to ignite their learning and relate the design of their products to the real world. At Woodlands, the Design & Technology curriculum combines skills, knowledge, concepts and values to enable children to tackle real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. It can be found in many of the objects children use each day and is a part of children’s immediate experiences.

Implementation

Through the implementation of a progressive Design & Technology curriculum, Children at Woodlands develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world. They 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. Children critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others. In addition, the understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.

The Project on a Page forms the basis for the delivery of our Design & Technology curriculum. This allows for scope for teachers to use their creativity and professional judgment, whilst ensuring the quality, integrity and rigour of children’s learning.