Intent

Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject that prepares children to deal with the rapidly changing world of tomorrow and to understand the innovations that have shaped the world of today. 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 High Wycombe Church of England Combined School, 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; combining practical skills with an understanding of aesthetics.

We aim to, wherever possible, link work to other disciplines such as Mathematics, Science, PSHE, History, Computing, English Language and Literature and Art.

Pupils 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.

It is the intent of High Wycombe Church of England Combined School for Design Technology to be taught in all year groups through at least one topic per term or three topics in an academic year, which includes opportunities relating to food in most year groups.

Key objectives of intent within the Design Technology Curriculum based on the National Curriculum 2014 guidance:

• Products are to be made for a purpose.
• Individuality should be ensured in children’s design and construction of products.
• Delivery of the two strands: Designing and Making and Cooking and Nutrition.
• More emphasis to be given on creating ‘innovative’ products in KS2.
• Teaching the importance of making on-going changes and improvements during making stages.
• Looking into seasonality of ingredients and how they are grown, caught or reared.
• The introduction of computing and coding of products in KS2.
• Researching key events and individual designers in the History of Technology in KS2.

Aims

The national curriculum for Design and Technology aims to ensure that all pupils:

• develop the creative, technical and practical expertise need to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
• build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users
• critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
• understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.