Design technology at Woodrow 

Intent

At Woodrow we use The Kapow  Design and Technology scheme of work 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. By using the Kapow  scheme of work, 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 1 attainment targets in the National curriculum and the aims also align with those in the National curriculum. EYFS (Reception) units provide opportunities for pupils’ to work towards 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.

The National curriculum organises the Design and technology attainment targets under four subheadings:

Design, Make, Evaluate, and Technical knowledge. Kapow have taken these subheadings to be their Primary strands:

● Design

● Make

● Evaluate

● Technical knowledge

Cooking and nutrition is given a particular focus in the National curriculum and we have made this one of our five key areas that pupils revisit throughout their time in our school:

● Cooking and nutrition

● Mechanisms/ Mechanical systems

● Structures

● Textiles

● Electrical systems (YR4 only)

Kapow Primary’s Design and technology scheme has a clear progression of skills and knowledge within these strands and key areas across each year group.

The National curriculum overview shows which of our units cover each of the National curriculum attainment targets as well as each of the four strands.

The Progression of skills shows the skills and knowledge that are taught within each year group and how these skills develop to ensure that attainment targets are securely met by the end of each key stage.

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 five key areas. At Woodrow we adapt the content to fit in with our Mantle of the Expert learning where ever possible.

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 and inventive tasks.

Strong subject knowledge is vital for staff to be able to deliver a highly effective and robust Design and technology curriculum. Each unit of lessons includes multiple teacher videos to develop subject knowledge and support ongoing CPD. Kapow Primary has been created with the understanding that many teachers do not feel confident delivering the full Design and technology curriculum and every effort has been made to ensure that they feel supported to deliver lessons of a high standard that ensure pupil progression.

At Woodrow we follow 5 units in the Early Years and 3 units per year in KS1 and KS2. We ensure continuity and progression in each of the 5 areas.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

We enable children of all abilities to access our DT curriculum. Additional models and scaffolds are provided and changes to pedagogy or content are considered in consultationwith the SENCO. Within the Kapow resource, 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.

Impact

The impact of Kapow Primary’s scheme can be constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Each lesson includes guidance to support teachers in assessing pupils against the learning objectives.

The expected impact of following the Kapow Primary Design and technology scheme of work is that children will:

➔ Understand the functional and aesthetic properties of a range of materials and resources.

 ➔ Understand how to use and combine tools to carry out different processes for shaping, decorating, and manufacturing products.

➔ Build and apply a repertoire of skills, knowledge and understanding to produce high quality, innovative outcomes, including models, prototypes and products to fulfil the needs of users, clients, and scenarios. 

➔ Understand and apply the principles of healthy eating, diets, and recipes, including key processes and cooking equipment.

➔ Recognise where our decisions can impact the wider world in terms of community, social and environmental issues.

➔ Self-evaluate and reflect on learning at different stages and identify areas to improve.

➔ Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for Design and technology.