Rationale:
At Nechells, our design and technology curriculum aims to inspire, excite and challenge pupils in multiple ways as well as help them become more aware of design and technology, investigate products and spark curiosity.
We have categorised the curriculum content into 5 areas; cooking and nutrition, mechanisms, structures, textiles and electrical systems. Every year group is taught 3 out of the 5 areas.
All pupils will complete a cooking and nutrition module in the Summer term as we believe this is an essential life skill which they should develop, helping them to prepare to be self-sufficient in the future.
Each unit is made up of three strands which are; design, make and evaluate. These strands are consistent throughout each design and technology unit, this allows opportunities for deliberate practise and for schema to be built upon. Content becomes progressively more challenging as pupils work their way through the curriculum.
Our curriculum is knowledge rich, mainly consisting of ‘substantive’ and ‘procedural’ knowledge. All knowledge has been carefully selected and are organised in a way in which enables pupils to revisit it, build depth of knowledge, helping help them learn more and remember more.
There are many examples of content progression, for example year 1 pupils design a moving monster for a moving story book, as pupils progress through the school they build upon this learning resulting in them creating a design for an automata toy based on a choice of cam when in year 6.
We have planned to teach our design and technology curriculum in blocks to allow pupils to completely immerse themselves into a unit of work over a short period of time. Pupil voice indicates that this approach is enjoyable and a stimulating experience which subsequently is more memorable.
Lessons follow a clear sequence allowing opportunities for deliberate practise and memory recall; challenge for all pupils, through the curriculum, is central to what we believe is key. All children will access the same curriculum as we believe all pupils are capable to achieve and thrive, ensuring there are no glass ceilings limiting anyone. For those pupils who need further support within a lesson/activity, we scaffold learning where appropriate to allow all pupils to achieve expected standard or beyond.
Knowledge organisers are shared at the start of every unit. Pupils are taught strategies to help them learn the knowledge and vocabulary that they contain. We also share ideas with parents on how to support their children to learn the content at home. Vocabulary is taught explicitly with opportunities provided for deliberate practice.
Assessment opportunities are carefully planned so that they are purposeful, support learning and inform us as to whether our curriculum and or the delivery of it is effective.
Design and Technology Curriculum Documents:
Design & Technology High Level Plan
To view all Knowledge Organisers for all year groups click on the folder link below:
