Curriculum – Design & Technology
Intent
At Oakley Cross Primary we want children to develop a love of Design and Technology. Our curriculum intends to equip our children with a variety of skills and knowledge of different inventors, designers and craftspeople. Our main aim is to create confident and competent children who are excited to explore their own ideas and exploring Design and Technology asking, ‘How does Design and Technology enrich my life and how it might change?’
The Design and Technology curriculum is sequenced in such a way that allows pupils to build upon previous skills and knowledge across their primary years. Pupils will revisit design techniques, each time developing them further to deepen their knowledge and develop their skills.
Implementation
Early Years
On entry in Nursery our children begin to explore Design and Technology through most areas of continuous provision areas in the classroom. Including; malleable, loose parts, construction, role play and junk modelling. Children learn how to cut, stick and join materials, exploring and reviewing their designs each time. Children have opportunities to cook and find out more about their food. To find out more about DT in the Early Years please visit here.
Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2
During Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 at Oakley Cross Primary School, children will learn and cover a range of topics:
- Cooking
- Healthy Eating
- Where Food Comes From
- Commodities
- Structures
- Mechanisms
- Computer Program
- Electrics
- Textiles
Throughout all projects, designing, making and evaluating will be a common process and will be continuously developed. Alongside this approach the necessary practical skills required for different topics will be continuously developed as expected with a spiral curriculum. For further information on specific skills coverage please click here.
Project on a Page Sliders-and-levers Y1/2
Project on a Page Combining-different-fabric-shapes Y6
Learning Links
Our Design and Technology curriculum is often covered cross curricular to make it more meaningful to our children.
Local Links
It is important that we maximise the expertise of local industries to support children in their learning and to engage them in the subject. Our studies are selected carefully so that we can local resources such as, the bridges in Durham city, the Locomotion Railway museum, local bakeries and Fire Brigade.
Curriculum Enrichment
Pupils are able to further their experiences in DT by attending after-school clubs such as STEM club.
For a copy of our Long Term Plan for Design & Technology and the key skills we aim for children to acquire over time please follow the link below.