Design and Technology

At Saighton Primary School Design and technology is taught within our 'creative' curriculum which captures children's enthusiasm and generates excitement about learning.

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. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. 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. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.

Design and technology is taught from Reception through to year 6. We follow the National Curriculum programmes of study for this foundation subject. Children are fully engaged and find these lessons stimulating and fun with many cross curricula links.

The national curriculum for design and technology aims to ensure that all pupils: 
• develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world 
• build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users 
• critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others 
• understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.

The teaching of design technology is often delivered as enrichment days. Children are engaged for one or two whole days in a project. This enables the project to continue through all stages and reach a satisfactory completion. The great number of cross curricula links enable many other subjects to be accessed at the same time giving the child an enriching and stimulating experience. D&T experts visit school to deliver these enrichment days on occasions which further enhances the children's experience and progress.

Recent projects have included, Indian trucks, pop-up books, bridges, fossil hunters bags, soup, Greek vases, winding mechanisms for Incy Wincy Spider, Egyptian Shadufs with a frame and lever mechanism, coins and many others to span the wide variety of design briefs which will enable a full progression of skills for each child.

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