Design and Technology

Intent

Our Design and Technology teaching aims to provide the foundations for the world of work in the future and the opportunities to make links as pupils' appreciation, knowledge and understanding for the subject develops.

We understand the importance of exposing our pupils to a wide range of products that can inspire their curiosity and creativity, as well as the thought-processes involved in creating such products. Through this exposure, children take on the role of developer, evaluator and that of a critique, exploring how products can be developed or adapted for different users as well as creating and testing prototypes to give purpose to projects

At The Marlbrook Collaboration we want our children to understand the world around them; and their role within it.  Linking learning to their own experiences and local or global issues is vital in preparing them for their future.  We want them to be engaged, enthused and eager to learn.  In teaching Design and Technology, we want to provide ample opportunities for our children to be creative, solve problems and feel inspired.    

We will also work with our children to instil a love of cooking so that they may gain greater independence and the ability to feed themselves and others, affordably and well, both now and in later life.  As part of their work with food, our children will be taught to apply the principles of nutrition, exercise and healthy eating.

In addition to this, Design and Technology will open their minds to new areas of learning including mechanisms, computing and electrical systems.

Implementation

Our Design and Technology curriculum is implemented through a variety of different projects over the children’s time at the Marlbrook Collaboration. Each project ensures the children design and make purposeful, functional and appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria.

• Through the support of the Design and Technology Association (DATA) scheme, Projects on a Page, children will experience an array of different progressive and linkable skills and techniques over the course of a child’s time at the Marlbrook Collaboration. This ensures that children are constantly building upon previous learning and are able to expand their knowledge and understanding of problem solving, designing and constructing different products. Children will complete 3 projects a year, either having one lesson a week or a two to three day block complete each project so children are fully immersed in the design-make-evaluate process.
• Children are given a variety of real life products to explore in great detail, expanding their knowledge of how they look and work, allowing children to evaluate products against their target market and purpose.
• For each project, children follow the design-make and evaluate sequence, allowing children time to reflect upon their design and products and think of ways that they could be improved or adapted. Teachers support and model increasingly progressive evaluative skills to enable children to create products of a high-quality throughout school.
• Children are given a design brief to put the need for the product in context. Where possible, teachers ensure that the brief is linked to another area of their learning or has relevance to the children to inspire their imagination and eagerness to create and problem solve.
• Safety is explained and modelled at the start of and throughout each product including food hygiene instructions.

Impact

Our Design and Technology curriculum enables and encourages our children to become critical thinkers. To develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world. To 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. To understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook. Children will design and make a range of products, using a progressive range of skills throughout their time at the Marlbrook Collaboration.

Children 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. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.

Overview