At Nursery Hill, we offer a broad and balanced curriculum that goes beyond the core subjects of English, Maths, and Science. In Design and Technology lessons, our pupils develop a deeper understanding of the world around them, hone their creative and practical skills, and learn the importance of critical thinking to design, make and evaluate projects that have a clear user and purpose.
We use the Projects on a Page, a national scheme of work for D&T at key stages 1 & 2 from the Design & Technology Association. It ensures children design, make and evaluate products using the broad range of materials and components specified in the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum. Children complete one project per term (equating to six projects in KS1 and twelve in KS2).
At Nursery Hill, we aim to deliver a D&T curriculum that is based on the 6 essentials of good practice:
- USER – Children have a clear idea of who they are designing and making products for, considering their needs, wants, interests or preferences.
- PURPOSE – Children know what the products they design and make are for.
- FUNCTIONALITY – Children design and make products that function in some way to be successful. Products often combine aesthetic qualities with functional characteristics.
- DESIGN DECISIONS – When designing and making, children make informed decisions such as selecting materials, components and techniques and deciding what form the products will take, how they will work, what task they will perform and who they are for.
- INNOVATION – When designing and making, children are given scope to be original with their thinking.
- AUTHENTICITY – Children design and make products that are believable, real and meaningful to themselves.
‘What are the strands of subject content in D&T?’
In D&T there are 2 strands of subject content:
- DESIGNING AND MAKING
o Structures
o Textiles
o Mechanisms
o Electrical systems (KS2 only)
- COOKING AND NUTRITION
- In KS1, children prepare dishes with fresh fruit and vegetables without using a heat source.
- In KS2, children prepare and cook dishes, using a wider range of ingredients, using a heat source where appropriate.
‘What activities are included in a D&T project?’
Building on current good practice, each project includes 3 types of activity:
- Investigative and Evaluative Activities (IEAs) where children learn from a range of existing products and find out about D&T in the wider world;
- Focused Tasks (FTs) where they are taught specific technical knowledge, designing skills and making skills;
- Design, Make and Evaluate Assignment (DMEA) where children create functional products with users and purposes in mind.
Through IEAs and FTs children are equipped with the knowledge, understanding and skills to engage successfully and with increasing independence in a DMEA.