Intent

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At Orchard Junior School our primary intent is to have an engaging and inspiring curriculum with high academic ambition for all pupils.  We aim to inspire creativity in our children; we want them to question why things happen and the way things work. Design & Technology is about creative problem solving through the practical application of scientific and mathematical principles .

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The 2014 National Curriculum for D&T aims to ensure that all children:

• Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject.

• Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values.

• 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.

 

At OJS our curriculum is based principally on the National Curriculum , with our own additions and enhancements. It develops both knowledge and skills.  Design and technology develops children’s skills and knowledge in design, structures, mechanisms, electrical control and a range of materials, including food.  Through our units, we ensure our curriculum is taught in a logical progression, systematically and explicitly, building on previous learning and skills for future learning.

 

At Orchard we use D&T to provide the opportunity for the children to develop practical skills, knowledge and understanding of designing and making functional products.  We feel it is imperative that we nurture creativity and innovation through design.  We want all children to have the opportunity to explore the designed world in which we all live.

 

Two key areas that we focus on include education around the designed world and how things work  and learning to design, make and evaluate functional products for specific purposes and audiences.  Children obtain and use knowledge and understanding of materials and mechanisms, control systems, structures.  They look at existing products and ensure that they are always using up to date health and safety / food hygiene.  We also use design and technology lessons to encourage the development of children’s skills through collaborative working and problem-solving.  

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At Orchard we actively encourage children to be creative and innovative as well as to think about important subjects such as enterprise and sustainability.

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Implementation 

 

At OJS, we incorporate DT into our topic themed learning, therefore children are immersed into the subject using a variety of practical and cross-curricular opportunities. Teachers create a positive attitude to DT learning within their classrooms and reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving high standards.

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Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning of DT involves the following;

• Our whole school approach to the teaching and learning of design and technology comprises of; the class teacher plans and teaches D&T for three half terms of each year.  

• Design units are planned to show progress of skills as per our school's progression of skills to ensures that is taught in the previous and following year group. Teachers can use this to recap and build on prior learning/ skills successfully.

• Lessons are planned so that children are given the opportunity to explore  the material and equipment choices and elicit which they will use. They can also explore which ones would/wouldn’t not work and why.  This helps them to secure their ideas and make any necessary major changes whilst still in the planning stage. Children then finish their plans, make their product and go onto the evaluation stage. During the evaluation stage children test their designs and look at successes as well as improvements. Teachers ensure that they use precise questioning throughout this process.

• Teachers use a range of formative assessment tools to check pupils’ understanding.

 

Impact 

 

D&T at Orchard allows children to be creative, whilst solving real life problems. They learn about the effect of products on the environment and people. They learn practical skills and apply knowledge from a variety of subjects. In turn this broadens their minds about the world and about people.