Our Kildwick Curriculum

At Kildwick CE VC Primary School we value the individuality of all our children, irrespective of ethnicity, attainment, age, disability, gender or background. We are committed to giving all our children every opportunity to achieve the highest of standards in all that they do, underpinned by our deeply Christian ethos. We do this by taking account of pupils’ varied life experiences and needs. We provide our children with an exciting and creative curriculum, in which many subjects are taught through themes.  This thematic approach to teaching and learning inspires our children and engages them in their learning. We encourage children to be inquisitive learners and ask questions, offering them the opportunity to consolidate and revisit previous learning in order to deepen understanding and create life -long learners. Their achievements, attitudes and well-being matter and we offer them the opportunity to discover their gifts and talents given to them by God and experience ‘life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10).

Kildwick Design Technology Curriculum Intent Statement

“Everything is design, everything!”    - Paul Rand

Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes and having fun.”   - Mary Lou Cook

It is our intent for Design Technology at Kildwick to excite and inspire children to think creatively and imaginatively and to design and make products to solve real or relevant problems considering their purpose, function and the needs of the user.

They will work in a range of contexts through our topic based approach allowing for cross-curricular links.

Through a variety of creative and practical activities children will have fun exploring products, materials, equipment and techniques to develop knowledge, understanding, skills and technical expertise. This will enable them to engage in a process of design and making, creating a range of structures, mechanisms, textiles, electrical systems and food products with purpose and enthusiasm.

Children will learn how to take risks, understand the value of making mistakes and develop the confidence to puzzle their way through challenges, becoming resourceful, innovative and enterprising.

They will learn to critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others drawing inspiration from engineers, architects, designers and chefs. Through the exploration of past and present design and technology they will develop a critical understanding of its huge impact on daily life and the wider world.

Implementation

Projects on a Page by the Design and Technology Association will provide a structure for planning and progression of DT across school. Teaching of DT will follow the design, make, evaluate cycle. Topics will be rooted in relevant contexts, real or imaginary that stimulate interest and give opportunities to develop technical skills. A rolling programme ensures children explore structures/construction, mechanisms, electrical, food technology and textiles. Opportunities to link with Information technology will be included. Work will be presented in a class scrapbook or using Google Classroom. Labelled sections will develop an understanding of the design process that follows through to secondary school and beyond. The progression document will ensure skills are developed year on year.

Design Brief- To present in context the problem and what product they need to research, design and make.

Success Criteria- look at the brief/ existing designs how will you know you’ve achieved it?

Research- includes…   

  • Investigating- finding examples to look at- internet/ books/ classroom/ home
  • Disassembly- taking an example apart- what parts does it have? How do they work? What are they made from?
  • Skills focus- what skills do the children need to be able to do- fixing techniques, food preparation techniques, techniques to make moving mechanisms, techniques to use with thread and fabric.
  • Mock-ups/ models/ patterns- quick paper/card models or patterns to test an idea or to provide a template to follow.

Designing-  Using all aspects of the research carried out draw annotated sketches- labelled diagrams- notes. Make lists of materials, equipment/ brief sequence of making.

Making- using the success criteria/ design/plan/notes but encouraged to adapt as they go along. As children go up the school “the finish” will be increasingly important.

Evaluation- Test and evaluate against success criteria and make comparisons to existing products.

As they progress through KS2 they will also consider how key events and individuals have helped shape design and technology globally to consider products in context

Impact

Children will develop creative, technical and practical expertise to confidently complete everyday tasks and take part in our increasingly technological world.

They will build and apply a toolkit of skills, develop knowledge and understanding in order to make high quality prototypes and products for a range of users and test and evaluate their ideas and products and those of others.

They will understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.

Children will learn how to take risks becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising. Through evaluation of past and present design technology they will develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life. High quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.