We believe that the teaching of Design and Technology at Eskdale encourages our pupils to become curious and creative problem-solvers, both as individuals and as part of a team, preparing them for the developing world and for further Design and Technology teaching beyond key stage two. The learning of Design and Technology at Eskdale is rooted in all five of our core values and combines practical skills and knowledge gain with an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues. Design and Technology helps our children to become discerning, informed consumers and potential innovators with a greater awareness and understanding of how everyday products are designed and made.
Our core intent is to enable our pupils to strive to:
✓ develop imaginative thinking, enabling them to talk about what they like and dislike when designing and making;
✓ talk about how things work, and to draw and model their ideas
✓ apply their knowledge and understanding when developing ideas, planning and making products
✓ use a wide range of materials and resources, including ICT and to think and work independently and collaboratively
✓ critically evaluating both their own and others work, extending and improving their ideas
✓ select appropriate tools and techniques for making product, whilst following safe procedures;
✓ use ICT software to assist our designing and learning where appropriate.
Design and Technology is taught through different contexts and pupils and staff follow a process model to ensure children become increasingly adept at ‘Thinking like a Designer’ was they move through the key stage.
This incorporates the following stages of learning:
✓ Investigate and research – evaluation of past and present product design, developing a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.
✓ Design-develop their own ideas and design criteria based on product research and an understanding of how designers and designs have influenced the world.
✓ Make and Modify – use an increasing range of tools and equipment accurately, select appropriate materials and consider functionality and aesthetics when making prototypes and products.
✓ Evaluate – improve their ideas and products against their own design criteria whilst considering the views of others, their targeted audience and the purpose, appeal and innovation of their product.
Pupils will also follow the principles of nutrition and healthy eating to prepare and cook balanced meals, considering provenance, seasonality and sustainability of ingredients.
For all our pupils to achieve both learning more and remembering more, our method of teaching (pedagogy) incorporates meta-cognitive strategies to enable all pupils to retain the learning of both skills and knowledge.
This is typically applied by:
✓ Activating prior knowledge
✓ Small step teaching delivery
✓ Independent practice
✓ Feedback