Design Technology
At Pippins School we aim in Design Technology to:
- 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
Design and technology is a very practical subject that uses creativity and imagination. Our pupils will be asked to design and make products that have a relevant context, drawing on a range of subject knowledge such as mathematics, literacy, science, computing and art. This means we will, where possible be linking our Design Technology into topics being taught.
- Science unit on Weather – taking a kite design, evaluating it then test and improve the structure, materials, stability and construction, until it achieves its function and purpose.
Key Stage One
Our pupils will work through the process of:
Design – based on design criteria (usually set by the teacher) they generate and develop their ideas through talking, drawing, templates and where appropriate I.C.T.
Make – select from a range of materials, textiles, ingredients, tools and equipment to complete their practical task
Evaluate – evaluate their idea and finished product against the design criteria set.
Technical knowledge - build structures, exploring how they can be improved.
Also explore and use mechanisms where possible in their products.
Cooking and Nutrition – use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare food, while learning and understanding where food comes from
Key Stage Two
Our pupils will be taught to:
Design – generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, diagrams, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces, computer-aided design and using research to develop and inform their design
Make – use a wider range of tools and materials accurately and according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities
Evaluate – our pupils will investigate and analyse an existing range of products. They will evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the view of others to improve their work.
Also our KS2 pupils will understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world.
Technical knowledge – our pupils will apply their understanding of how to improve more complex structures while understanding and using mechanical systems or electrical systems in their products where possible
Cooking and Nutrition – while understanding seasonality and knowing where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed, our pupils will prepare and cook and variety of mainly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques. They will also be applying the principles of a healthy and varied diet while doing this.
Teachers ensure there is at least one unit involving Design Technology per term.