Statement
At St Matthew’s, D&T skills are taught through our Creative Curriculum. The children learn to design, make and evaluate products in a range of contexts with a focus on creative and critical thinking. Throughout the school they are given opportunities to apply their learning and skills in some amazing projects! Some large scale projects and some small, they all help the children to see how the designing, making and evaluating process works in real contexts.
On this page, you will find relevant information about the Design & Technology Curriculum at St Matthew’s.
View our D&T Policy on our Curriculum Policies page
Download: D&T – Curriculum Overview 2023-2024 [PDF]
Download: D&T – Curriculum Vision 2023-2024 [PDF]
Intent
Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. It encourages children to learn to think and intervene creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team. At St Matthews, we encourage children to use their creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. We aim to, wherever possible, link work to other disciplines such as mathematics, Literacy, science, computing and art. The children are also given opportunities to reflect upon and evaluate past and present design technology, its uses and its effectiveness and are encouraged to become innovators and risk-takers.
Implementation
Through a variety of creative and practical activities, we teach the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making.
KS1
- Investigate things and say how they work, what they do and what they are made of;
- Plan what to make and be able to tell someone else about it;
- Make things from our plans and be able to say what has or has not worked well and why;
- Work with tools and equipment safely to measure and mark, cut and shape, join and combine and decorate and finish different materials;
- Learn about how to use different materials and mechanisms.
KS2
- Investigate and evaluate products to help generate ideas for our own work;
- Make detailed plans for our ideas showing what we want to achieve and how to do it;
- Use our plans to make products, evaluating and adapting our ideas as we work;
- Work with tools and equipment safely and accurately to measure and mark, cut and shape, join and combine and decorate and finish different materials;
- Learn about how different materials and mechanisms can be used for a purpose
Impact
We ensure the children:
- Develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
- 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 and critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others.
- Understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.
- Children will design and make a range of products
- A good quality finish will be expected in all design and activities made appropriate to the age and ability of the child
Useful Resources
Have a look at these for ideas to try at home:
External Link: KS1 Bitesize D&T
External Link: KS2 Bitesize D&T
External Link: Exploratorium – They have an idea library that shows models that could be made
External Link: Food A Fact Of Life – Lots of Food Technology information
External Link: How Stuff Works
External Link: LEGO Building