At Whiteheath Infant School we believe in the following statements:
- Design Technology gives pupils the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and understanding of designing and making functional products.
- Design Technology develops pupils’ practical skills and techniques as they apply these to designing and making prototypes and products.
- Design Technology helps children to problem-solve, making ongoing changes and improvements during the design and making process.
- Design Technology allows pupils to build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users.
- Design Technology teaches pupils to understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.
Design Technology helps us to develop as reflective learners, as we work through the design process. Through Design Technology, we are able to work collaboratively to solve problems and find solutions, teaching us to deal with uncertainty whilst developing communication, organisational and other practical life skills. In Design Technology, we learn to appreciate the needs of others, the built environment and the likely impact of future technologies.
Throughput the year groups there is a clear progression of skills taught through our cross curricular curriculum.
EYFS
The Nursery and Reception children are offered resources to encourage them to build on and improve their DT skills throughout the year as a staple part of their school life. These skills include deciding what they are going to make, working as individuals, in pairs or in groups to create designs. The children regularly use DT straws, glue and other joining skills, such as tapes and split pins. They work on a large and small scale, valuing recycling products and challenging themselves to be creative. They also work on a more traditional level, using clay to bring contrasting designs to life.
Year One
In our topic ‘Unity in the Community’, the children explore 3D form and learn about the Artist Cesar Manrique. The children also plan and make their own 3D wind chime sculptures.
Year Two
In ‘Land Ahoy’ the children learn about different modes of transport and they created their own rocket launchers out of junk modelling.
