SUCCESS FOR ALL

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

Most people make the mistake of thinking design is what it looks like. People think it’s this veneer – that the designers are handed this box and told, “Make it look good!” That’s not what we think design is. It’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.

Steve Jobs

Subject Intent:

Teaching a broad and balanced curriculum that is tailored to the diverse cultural heritage of our school community creates well-rounded, socially aware citizens of our global community.

Our curriculum is designed to promote academic excellence through a structured spiral journey which builds upon prior learning to explore the many issues which affect our lives today and will so in the future. Topics reference previous knowledge to link and make connections throughout this journey. An emphasis on leadership allows pupils to reflect upon design and manufacturing issues and consider the actions they may take.

We built the curriculum with the intent that pupils will:

• experience a broad, deep and knowledge rich curriculum building on the complex interactions of people and their design needs in a variety of contexts and scales which both satisfies and nourishes curiosity.

• extend their KS2 knowledge and deepen their design awareness of the world around them focusing on a range designer and key physical and human anthropometrics, ergonomics and characteristics

• be literate and numerate in order to show their in-depth understanding of design and make processes. They will be able to communicate, in detail, their knowledge and opinions in order to demonstrate their understanding. Numeracy skills will underpin this capability, through the ability to handle qualitative and quantitative data.

• have high expectations for their behaviour and achievement through engaging experiences within the subject. Our pupils will demonstrate respect and courtesy when working with each other, tools and equipment, and will value the part they play in the design process.

• develop their cultural, moral, social, mental and physical development through allowing them to make greater sense of the world they live in, the technology around them, and how good design allows us all to interact integrate with each other and the surrounds better. We intend to provide our pupils with real work problems where solution-based outcomes are needed.

• be prepared for life beyond the school by building curious, independent and inquisitive individuals who have an appreciation and understanding for the world around them. We intend to equip our pupils with the knowledge and skills our society needs to address modern day problems, deepening understanding of contemporary modern-day challenges.

• In Design and Technology we focus on the wellbeing and progress of every child and where all members of our community are of equal worth. All pupils share a common entitlement to a broad and balanced D&T curriculum which meets their social and learning needs

Subject Implementation:

• The curriculum builds from year 7 to 11 focusing on the cumulative development of key knowledge based upon broad concepts. In this respect we deliver clear and coherent step-by-step sequences that build knowledge across the year and between key stages.

• The broader concepts are revisited; however, knowledge is built on foundations from previous study.  Whilst reinforcement and retention of previously learnt knowledge is addressed relentlessly, building a deeper and more coherent understanding is key to preparation for further study.

• Routine expectations that pupils show resilience in each and every lesson are supported through independent learning resources, with a central focus on a range of engaging material, relevant and contemporary examples.

• Throughout both key stages pupils build a knowledge of a range of diverse designer and design solutions that allow us to interact with the environment around us, taught with a deepening understanding of the design process. As they progress, they deepen their understanding of the interactions between physical and human processes in order to explain how these interactions create the diverse and interdependent world we live in.  

• Pupils are encouraged to read in class and aloud in class across both key stages. Pupils build a knowledge of the features of different types of text through the design and research process, independent text resources are created with a central focus of making them engaging and relevant to allows pupils to develop their cultural capital and their understanding of the design movement and process

• Rigorous, reliable and accessible assessment tracks understanding and allows bespoke planning to occur as a result. There are regular formal assessments, weekly low stakes quizzing and an end of year exam. On-going assessment occurs through teacher monitoring of classwork and discussions with pupils. Outcomes of these are analysed and discussed within the department and interventions and extra support implemented where appropriate. Assessment outcomes are compared to targets to monitor progress. Specific groups such as SEN, DP, MA are closely monitored and intervention, where necessary, is planned in order to reduce gaps.

• We use a blended approach to pupils’ education; this allows pupils to develop independence and ownership of their studies and shows that learning doesn’t just take place in the classroom.  Knowledge organisers support teaching and learning along with Microsoft TEAMs being used to set work, allow for learning conversations between staff and pupils and provide a platform for feedback where appropriate.

Subject Enrichment:

In the D&T department we value learning that occurs both within the classroom and beyond it. Our pupils have access to frequent, continuous and progressive experiences in the school classrooms, workshops and educational visits further afield.  These experiences are used as a tool for teaching, learning and delivering the curriculum. 

Enrichment includes:

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• Visit to the YSP studying the work by famous artist and designers, used to aid assignment-based work when back is school.

• Visit to the motorcycle live studying new technologies, the design process from concept to production and custom manufacture. visit used to aid assignment-based work when back is school.

• Visit to the Bolton theatre to watch a performance, used to aid assignment-based work when back is school.

Subject Impact:

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• Ensure that there is a systematic curriculum which builds upon the core D&T principles for pupils from year 7 to year 11. Pupils revisit key concepts and ideas in different contexts in different areas of D&T in order to allow rapid subsequent progression. Knowledge is sequenced in a way that builds breadth and depth.

• Develop pupils that are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to actively engage and participate with a technological developing global community.

• Develop pupils with an ability to critically think about modern design and give them the confidence and skills to change the environment around them.

• Provide pupils with a range of vocabulary to identify features, human and physical processes used around them. Such core knowledge provides the building blocks of deeper explanation and understanding, providing entry points to further study, training or employment.

Through the study of D&T our pupils increase the range and accuracy of investigative skills, advancing their ability to select and apply these with increasing independence.