“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”

Steve Jobs

Intent

At Park Lane Primary School, we aim to deliver a high-quality Design and Technology curriculum, providing pupils with the foundations to understand the influence of design and technology in the modern world and enabling them to develop the creative and technical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to meet the design and technology challenges of today and the future.

The content of our curriculum has been designed to meet the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and reflect our context and community, with our planning structure aiming to promote continuity and progression through inspiring projects which enable pupils to: acquire key technical knowledge and skills; develop their practical, critical thinking and problem solving skills; and apply their learning from other subjects.

Our Cooking and Nutrition curriculum also aims to provide pupils with high-quality learning experiences which enable them to develop key technical life skills, an understanding and cultural appreciation of food and a love of cooking as a form of creative expression.

By the end of Primary School, the children will have built a wealth of knowledge and skills that will prepare them for secondary school and later life.

Implementation

The design of our curriculum embraces divergent fields of design and technology, enabling pupils to develop an appreciation of quality design and the importance of design and technology in the wider world. Projects within engaging and challenging contexts inspire pupils to use their creativity, imagination and resourcefulness to design and make practical and innovative products that solve real and relevant problems.

Guided by the expertise of our teachers, pupils acquire a broad range of subject specific knowledge, practical and technical skills and an understanding design criterion and the iterative design process, with cross-curricular projects also providing opportunities for pupils to apply their learning in other subjects such as computing, science, PE and art. Through this, pupils are empowered to take risks and express their ideas through annotated designs and diagrams, making and testing quality prototypes, and learn how to improve their products through critical evaluation.

Pupils also develop the key life skills of how to prepare and cook food, as well as an understanding of where food comes from and the principles of healthy eating. Moreover, they are encouraged to embrace cooking as an enjoyable, creative process; developing a range of technical skills and an understanding and appreciation of food culture in different parts of the world.

Impact

We use a number of ways to test, measure and assess the impact of our curriculum and its implementation. This enables us to continually refine and adapt our planning to further improve the quality of teaching and pupil’s learning experiences.

1. A reflection on standards achieved against the planned outcomes taken from the progression of skills document/ Target Tracker.
2. Seesaw provides an evidence base showcasing the process within DT and skills taught. It also provides a fantastic opportunity for children to articulate their learning and evaluate their design.
3. Pupil voice is used as a valuable tool by teachers and the subject leader to assess children’s engagement and interest in learning, their acquisition of knowledge, understanding and key technical skills.
4. Children leave Park Lane with fundamental skills needed at secondary school to thrive and be successful in the future.

Curriculum Documents