Design Technology at Dobwalls

Intent:

At Dobwalls School we believe that the arts are vital for the development of the child as a whole and support an inspirational environment where children get the best possible education.  DT is seen as a valuable and significant aspect of the taught curriculum and an important part of every child’s education. DT focuses on providing high quality education where children are challenged and inspired to work creatively and think like a designer.

The National Curriculum for design technology aims to ensure that all children:

• 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.

Implementation:

• DT is taught through carefully planned and structure units of work with a clear focus on a specific concept and skill / skills. The children return to these concepts and skills as part of the school’s spiral curriculum.
• DT is taught in units throughout the year on a half termly basis, children complete three units of work each year.
• All teaching of DT follows the design, make and evaluate cycle which each stage rooted in technical knowledge. 
• Teaching is adapted to meet the needs of children with SEND.
• The design process is planned to be based from real life relevant contexts to give meaning to the learning.
• When making, children are given choice and a range of tools to use as needed.
• When evaluating, children evaluate their own products against a design criterion.
• The key knowledge and vocabulary for each unit of work has been identified by the teachers and form the Knowledge Organisers that are used by the children to support their learning.
• SECRET Skills are an integral part of art units of work and support the school’s philosophy on education.
• Where possible DT units of work are enhanced by the use of educational visits, visits from artists to school and links with local, national and international organisations.

Dobwalls DT Long Term Overview

DT Knowledge Organisers

Dobwalls DT Progression of Skills

DT Assessment Concept Tracker

Impact:

By the end of Key Stage 2, every pupil at Dobwalls Primary School has experienced progressive learning about a range of DT skills including food and nutrition to begin to develop basic life skills in cooking and a healthy diet.  Well planned and taught lessons lead to children who develop good conceptual understanding of DT as well as developing proficient skills. Our spiral curriculum, combined with the use of knowledge organisers, in conjunction with the SECRET skills, ensures children can think like a designer and develop a solid schema for their future education.  Our focus on concepts supports their education into Secondary School and beyond.

As part of Year Four's topic titled, 'Surviving Structures', they created bridges using skills with creating bends and a range of joins.  So much teamwork!

Year Two created these amazing wall hangings as part of their topic titled The Age of Engineering with a focus on Isambard Kingdom Brunel. As part of Design Technology, they have been learning about the role of an engineer, focusing on textiles and creating a wall hanging with a ‘engineer themed’ design. They have learned how to measure textiles, colour, decorate and join textiles using a running stitch.

Enrichment:

We aim to provide children with creative, active and real opportunities to learn about DT. Our enrichment activities are planned as appropriate, often linking with our topics.  

• Year groups have art/DT afternoons which invites parents to join their children to complete art work together.
• Classes engage in a design making mini project to sell at the School Summer Fayre!