Design & Technology
Design and Technology at Leadenham CE Primary Academy encourages creative thinking and acts as a stand along subject in all ages across both key stages. The subject encourages children to become autonomous and creative problem-solvers, both as individuals and as part of a team. We identify children’s needs within Design and Technology and provide opportunities for them to respond by developing their ideas and making unique products, again through a project based approach.
Through the study of Design and Technology practical skills we offer an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues, as well as functions and industrial practices which are put into practice. This therefore allows them to reflect on and evaluate present and past Design and Technology, its uses and its impacts.
The aims of Design and Technology are:
To develop imaginative and creating thinking in children and enable them to talk about what they like and dislike when designing and making;
To enable children to talk about how things work, and to draw and model their ideas;
To encourage children to select appropriate and relevant tools and techniques when making a product; and
To follow health and safety requirements.
Design and Technology: Intent
Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Design and Technology encourages children to learn to think and intervene creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team. At Leadenham CE Primary Academy, we encourage children to use their creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. We aim to, wherever possible, link work to other disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. The children are also given opportunities to reflect upon and evaluate past and present design technology, its uses and its effectiveness and are encouraged to become innovators and risk-takers.
Through a variety of creative and practical activities, we teach the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making.
Children learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world.
Cultural Capital
Children will learn about key figures and design work and become increasingly more familiar with those who have successfully developed creative, technical and practical expertise within design ranging from Friedensreich Hundertwasser to Antony Gormley.
They will also experience the following during Key Stage 1 and 2:
Visit buildings and places of interest, for example Leadenham Church to study architecture and Pugin’s designs and the Lincoln War memorial.
Visit to at least one local and one national gallery
become increasingly familiar with Design career opportunities available in the work place
Impact
Children are happy learners within Design and Technology. They experience a wide range of learning challenges within the art and know appropriate responses to them. Children will enhance their problem solving skills and use their resilience to ensure that work is amended rather than started again.
Children of all abilities and backgrounds achieve well in Design and Technology. Children talk enthusiastically about their learning in Design and Technology and are eager to further their learning in the next stages of their education.
Fundamental British Values are evident in Design and Technology and children understand how it can celebrate difference.
Through wider reading in Design and Technology, children will be exposed to a range of design work influenced by different design areas such as; Architecture, Chefs, Fashion Designers, Car Designers and Product Designers. This could be achieved through looking at different media’s such as news published online, magazines or Design books.
Through this exposure, children will produce work that is influenced by the best of the best.