Intent

At Whitley Park we believe Design and Technology offers opportunities for children to:

• Develop their capability to create high-quality products through combining their designing and making skills with knowledge and understanding;
• Develop a sense of enjoyment and pride in their ability to make;
• Nurture creativity and innovation through designing and making;
• Develop an interest in and understanding of the ways in which people from the past and present have used design to meet their needs.

Our goal is to provide opportunities for children to:

• Develop a curiosity and interest in the designed and made world through investigating, talking and asking questions about familiar products;
• Develop confidence and enthusiasm through activities for exploring, joining, assembling and shaping materials to make products;
• Extend their vocabulary through talking and explaining about their design and making.

Implementation

Design and technology will be taught for 8-12 hours each term, depending on the project being undertaken. The D&T Association’s Projects on a Page provides the framework for learning and teaching in design and technology. One unit of work is planned and undertaken each term. All design, make and evaluate units provide learning opportunities for developing creativity through designing skills such as generating, exploring, and modifying ideas through drawing and modelling with materials. At Whitley Park we believe design and technology provides a natural opportunity for children to practice and improve basic skills such as spoken language, English and mathematics. In our design, make and evaluate units, we aim to provide learning opportunities for developing key competencies such as problem-solving, teamwork, negotiation, consumer awareness and organisation. Through evaluating the process and their final products, children will be encouraged to improve their own learning and performance. Children develop and apply knowledge and skills from art and design, science, computing and English in design and technology.