Intent

At Bramford Primary School the Design and Technology curriculum instils qualities such as curiosity, enquiry and determination. It is our intention that our Design and Technology curriculum will provide opportunities to solve real and relevant problems, allowing our pupils to develop essential everyday skills and unlock their potential to be the designers and innovators of tomorrow. We have creatively designed a curriculum which is tailored to the needs and interests of our children whilst also reflecting the diversity of our community. We intend for all children to acquire appropriate subject knowledge, skills and understanding as set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage and National Curriculum. Design and Technology will allow all Bramford pupils to put their learning from other areas of the curriculum into practice and will work to enhance and deepen their understanding of those areas, including Maths, Computing, Science and Art.

Implementation

Our curriculum offers a range of exciting units that solve real and relevant problems, making cross-curricular links to broaden our understanding and offering enrichment opportunities. Through these units, the children will learn and apply a set of technical skills including structures, mechanisms, electrical control and a range of materials, including food. At Bramford teachers are given the ownership and flexibility to plan for Design and Technology, where the teaching of Design and Technology may be taught as a block of lessons or throughout the term.

Children will follow the 6 principles of Design and Technology:

• User – to have a clear idea of who they are designing/making the product for
• Purpose – to be able to communicate the purpose of the product they are designing / making
• Functionality – to design a product that works and functions effectively to fulfil the user’s needs
• Design Decisions – to make their own design opportunities, explore their own decisions and choices
• Innovation – opportunities to be original with their thinking, develop and explore their own ideas incorporating the essential skills involved in the process
• Authenticity – to make products that are believable, real, and meaningful to themselves and others, not just replicating ideas

Children design and make quality products using a range of tools, materials, and components, make connections with their learning across the curriculum and reflect on and evaluate techniques using subject–specific vocabulary. They are encouraged to be creative and innovative and are actively encouraged to think about important issues such as sustainability and enterprise.
Teachers follow a clear progression of skills which ensures all pupils are challenged in line with their year group expectations and given the opportunity to build on their prior knowledge. Target Tracker allows us to use data to inform future practice across the school.

Impact

The impact of our Design and Technology curriculum is in the development of our pupils being able to approach problems creatively and in a range of ways, applying their knowledge from across other curriculum areas independently. By providing a range of contexts and the necessary skills, we endeavour to support pupils in their future educational journey and in the understanding of the ever-developing world around them. The skills and attributes they develop will benefit them beyond school and into adulthood: the ability to use time efficiently, work with others productively, show initiative, independence resilience and manage risks affectively will ensure well-rounded citizens who will make a difference in the wider world.