“I don’t think I’ll ever stop questioning, dismantling things and looking for ways to improve technology”

James Dyson

Intent

As designers and technologists, we do not stop at our curiosity of how things work, but instead look at how we can think creatively through metacognition to problem solve and make products even better. At Lordswood School, we have an understanding of the diversity of the world and the importance of exposing our children to a wide range of products that can inspire their critical thinking. Through this exposure, children take on the role of developer, evaluator, and that of a critique, exploring how products can be developed as well as testing prototypes to give purpose to projects. Children need a hands-on approach and through pupil voice we can develop skills and techniques for Design and Technology, in our ever-changing technological world.

We endeavour to build lifelong partnerships through collaborations with global organisations, maximising opportunities for staff and children to work alongside experts in their fields. All children will leave school as resilient, independent, and creative thinkers with the confidence and ambition to use and build upon these skills. Children also leave, informed about the range of careers on offer to them – some that already exist and equipped with the skills for those yet to be created.

Implementation

Our Design and Technology curriculum is implemented through a variety of projects over the children’s time at Lordswood School. Children will complete three projects a year across a weekly-immersive period, so that they have an opportunity to investigate in depth the design-make-evaluate process.  As a whole school we celebrate International Design Day yearly which enables us as practitioners to establish a clear indication of the progression of skills made by each child, as well as to identify any gaps in learning.  DT skills are revisited within other curriculum areas throughout the year and we provide Design and Technology-based enrichment afternoons and clubs.

The teaching, learning and sequencing of the Design and Technology curriculum is implemented through:

• displays around the school which reflect the ambitious attitude and determination of both staff and children.
• WOW work celebrations to showcase achievements throughout the school.
• STEM-based enrichment activities, designed for children who want to engage in short, achievable projects.
• widening children’s horizons in the subject. For example, during The Griffin Science Symposium, children explore global issues and the need for new and improved innovations.
• collaborations with national and global organisations (Dyson) which promote high aspirations and produce opportunities to engage in projects, whilst gaining a wider understanding of the careers available in the future.
• the explanation of safety which is modelled at the start and throughout each unit of work including food hygiene instructions.

Impact

The Design and Technology curriculum enables children to champion our values of Creativity, Responsibility and Perseverance as designers and innovators. They are offered opportunities to collaborate, learn and draw from each other’s strengths, giving them a voice to critique designs and products; respectfully using the characteristics of effective learning to support them in doing so. Through our creative provision, our children have developed a love of the subject which we hope they will continue at secondary school and in future life. Our partnerships with the local community have enabled us to bring the outside world into the classroom to truly represent our proud traditions, wide horizons and high achievements which create memorable learning experiences.

An integral part of the Design and Technology curriculum is taking risks and whilst undertaking purposeful projects, children will have undoubtedly made mistakes but also built resilience and tenacity: becoming confident problem-solvers, empowering not only themselves but others around them too. For those children who may not always excel in core subjects, this platform will have created an engaging, creative academic outlet to develop vocational skills which can be transferred to many careers and hobbies. A solidified culture of 100% achievement with high aspirations, and an incentive to promote and sell products to the consumer, is embedded in every child. We believe no child is left behind, therefore every child is encouraged to ask higher-level questions and increase their ability to analyse, evaluate and create. This helps to stimulate students to seek information on their own. By the end of every child’s primary education, they are equipped with the experience and confidence that they can design, create and evaluate products collaboratively and strive towards careers incorporating Design and Technology as skilled, ambitious designers, innovators and developers for the future.