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St Nicolas' Church of England Infant School

Living life in all its fullness

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St Nicolas' Church of England Infant School

Living life in all its fullness

Design Technology

Intent - Our vision

At St Nics', we want our children to:

  • Be equipped with the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in designing and making in an increasingly technological world.
  • Use their imagination and be creative when designing and making products that solve real and relevant problems.
  • Have the confidence to take risks, through challenges, problem solving and open ended tasks.
  • Be able to work collaboratively as teams, becoming resourceful, reflective scientists.
  • Understand the links with Information Technology, maths, spatial awareness and science.

 

Implementation - How we deliver this to achieve our goal

  • Our delivery of the curriculum is cross curricular, linking to other areas of learning.
  • We plan for purposeful projects linked to topics and events
  • We promote awe and wonder opportunities which involve problem solving and investigating the properties of natural objects and materials.
  • We offer opportunities for children to explore concepts for themselves through continuous provision approach
  • We encourage children to share opinions and responses to designs and to ask their own questions (Wondering Walls), and to seek answers (using the research skills they have been taught).
  • We make the most of opportunities to apply our learning outside, through outdoor designs in EYFS, and projects in the Garden and Grotto and Forest School.
  • Pause Days include Christmas and Easter traditions, celebrations and always incorporate elements of art and design and technology
  • We have a dedicated display area in Learning Lab to show case finished products and the Plan, Do, Review cycle.
  • ELSA activities often use cooking and craft activities to explore and express emotions, as well as a mindful activity.
  • We run Weekly Well Being Booster DT sessions for KS1 children

 

                                                     

 

Impact - How we know our vision has come to fruition

Our children are ready for the next stage of their educational journey through:

  • Having a love of creativity and a desire to solve problems.
  • Valuing D&T as a mindful wellbeing activity, understanding how it can make them feel a sense of achievement, satisfaction and pride.
  • Displaying an interest in the subject, and becoming enthusiastic, self-led, motivated learners.
  • Being able to make links and reason.
  • Being able to apply skills and knowledge to new situations
  • Transferring their knowledge of the world and reflecting on how this could impact on the future (higher order thinking skills)
  • Having an understanding of art and how to use different tools and media.
  • Having an ability to work through a process of events with stamina and method towards a goal.
  • Applying their values of perseverance, hope, wisdom, unity, fairness in DT.

Skills Progression: D.T (Design Technology)                St Nicolas’ Infant School

In KS1, statements in bold are non-negotiable in order to reach Expected Standard (no Greater Depth option).

Skill

Reception EYFS

Year 1

Year 2

Design

Safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.

 

Design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves based on design criteria.

 

Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking and drawing, and where appropriate, information and communication technology.

Design purposeful, functional, appealing products for other users based on design criteria.

 

Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, template and mock-ups, and where appropriate, information and communication technology.

Make

Safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.

 

Make use of props and materials when role playing characters in narratives and stories.

Select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing].

Select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their characteristics.

Technical Knowledge

Share their creations, explaining the process they have used.

Build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable.

Explore and use mechanisms [for example, levers, sliders, wheels and axels] in their products.

Evaluate

Share their creations, explaining the process they have used.

Teach/ introduce skills to:

  • Explore and evaluate a range of existing products.
  • Evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria.

Apply and embed skills to:

  • Explore and evaluate a range of existing products.
  • Evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria.

Food

Social-MS

Manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs, including dressing, going to the toilet and understanding the importance of healthy food choices

Understand where food comes from.

Use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes.

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