“Design is thinking made visual!”

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” –

Benjamin Franklin

Design and Technology is taught through projects in each year group, with some discrete teaching, particularly of skills such as using scissors and cutting safely.

Early Years Foundation Stage

In Nursery and Reception it is taught within the Physical Development, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design Areas of Learning of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.

In Nursery and Reception the continuous provision areas that involve D&T are the creative area, fine motor area, loose parts area, construction area and outdoor provision. The children use a range of materials and techniques to create their own open-ended products that support their imaginative play such as making castles out of large planks and crates outside or junk modelling in the creative area. Although children have access to each area independently, challenges are included to ensure key skills are applied.

Key Stage One

In Key Stage One we follow the National Curriculum.

The strands of learning are:

Designing

· understanding contexts, users and purposes

· generating, developing, modelling and communicating ideas

Making

· planning

· practical skills and techniques

Evaluating

· own ideas and products

· existing products

Technical Knowledge

· making products work

Cooking and Nutrition

· finding out where food comes from

· how to prepare simple dishes safely and hygienically

· how to name and sort foods into the five groups

Most of the learning takes place through projects but some Design and Technology lessons are taught to ensure full curriculum coverage. Children have access to an increasing range of materials and tools.

Some products are made across the school for celebrations like Chinese New Year where lanterns are made and Christmas envelopes to hold our Christmas crafts. Paper manipulation and joining techniques are often used when creating cards for Christmas and Easter. Children are also provided with the opportunity to bake and design their own food products from healthy pizzas to decorated themed biscuits.