Design and Technology Statement

Design and Technology

Our Goal                                                        Passion for Learning...

 At Bentley St Paul's, we want our all our children to have a passion for learning where they gain life – long learning skills; a sense of adventure; the ability to enquire and make emotional connections.  

Our Christian Values

Friendship, Forgiveness, Trust, Peace, Wisdom, Responsibility, Respect and Reverence underpin all that we do and are the foundations of our drivers.

Our Tools

What we want the children to learn: 

At our Church of England Primary School, the intent of our Design Technology (DT) curriculum is to deliver a high-quality education that promotes creativity, innovation, and critical thinking. We aim to provide our pupils with the necessary skills, knowledge, and understanding to tackle real-world problems while facilitating and encouraging a lifelong appreciation for design and technology.

We aspire to:

• Inspire Creativity: Encourage all pupils to design and create products that meet real needs, creating a culture of innovation within a Christian context.
• Develop Skills: Provide regular opportunities for pupils to acquire practical and technical skills, enabling them to express their ideas through varied materials and processes.
• Promote Collaboration: Promote teamwork and collaborative problem-solving skills, crucial for both personal and social development in alignment with our Christian values.
• Instil Resilience: Equip pupils with the ability to evaluate their work critically, learn from failures, and embrace iterative design processes, ensuring they remain steadfast in the face of challenges.

How we teach: 

Our approach to delivering the DT curriculum is built on a framework that ensures coherence, progression, and inclusivity across all year groups:

1. Curriculum Design: Our DT curriculum is designed by Cornerstones in accordance with the National Curriculum and also reflects the values and ethos of our school. It incorporates cross-curricular links to enhance learner engagement, particularly with subjects such as Science, Maths, and Art.
2. Lesson Structure: Each unit of work follows a structured process:
   1. Research and Inspiration: Pupils explore existing products and gather insights relevant to their designs, connecting to historical, cultural, and religious perspectives.

1. 1. Planning and Designing: Using design briefs, pupils develop specifications and sketch ideas, moving towards creating detailed plans that outline the necessary materials and processes.
   2. Making and Evaluating: Pupils construct their projects whilst adhering to safety regulations and learning the significance of evaluating their products against the original criteria to inform adaptations and improvements.
2. Diverse Materials and Technologies: We provide access to a broad range of materials and tools, including digital technologies, ensuring pupils gain experience across various DT disciplines such as textiles, engineering, and food technology.
3. Collaboration with the Community: Partnerships with local industries and communities to enrich our curriculum, offering pupils a variety of real-world experiences and mentorship opportunities.
4. Assessment for Learning: We implement a mixture of formative and summative assessments to track pupil progress and understanding. Feedback is constructive, encouraging self-reflection and ongoing improvement.
5. Inclusive Practice: We ensure that all pupils, regardless of background or ability, are included and supported in their learning journey, integrating differentiation and personalisation within lessons.

Design Technology Impact:

The impact of our Design Technology curriculum is evident in the high levels of pupil engagement, skill development, and achievement as they move through their primary education:

• Skills and Knowledge Acquisition: Pupils demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of design processes and an ability to apply their skills creatively and effectively in a variety of projects.
• Confidence and Independence: There is a marked increase in confidence, with pupils enthusiastically taking ownership of their learning and understanding the relevance of design technology in everyday life.
• Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: Pupils are adept at evaluating their work and that of their peers, showing resilience in refining their designs and learning from feedback.
• Evidenced Progress: Continuous monitoring and evaluation show that pupils make significant progress in DT, with many exceeding age-related expectations by the end of Key Stage 2.
• Community Engagement: Parents and local stakeholders frequently express appreciation for the skills and passion pupils exhibit, fostering a positive relationship between the school and the community.

In conclusion, our Design Technology programme not only prepares pupils to confidently tackle future challenges but also nurtures their spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development, staying true to the ethos of our Church of England Primary School.