Design and Technology
Tell me… and I forget.
Show me… and I may remember.
Let me do it… and I learn.
How do we value Design Technology at Southridge?
Our Design and Technology prepares our children to take part in the development of tomorrow’s rapidly changing world. It teaches them to become creative problem-solvers and encourages them to work both as individuals and as part of a team. It enables them to develop their ideas, and make products. Our children have the opportunity to combine practical skills alongside evaluating objects and processes.
Our aims at Southridge are
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To motivate our children by providing interesting experiences
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To foster enjoyment whilst developing our children’s designing and making skills
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To nurture creativity, innovation and problem solving skills .
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To explore values and attitudes to the world and how we live and work within it.
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To provide children with the opportunity to explore food and cooking techniques along with healthy eating
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To develop our children’s abilities to work as effective team members and know that their ideas are valued
We ensure that the planned activities our children undertake are challenging, motivating, relevant and above all enjoyable. Our children are encouraged to become creative thinkers who have a natural curiosity about the world around them.
Teaching and Learning
The children undertake design and technology activities throughout the year but not always as part of a weekly lesson. Sometimes a whole day or two days are devoted to design technology as part of our cross-curricular approach to teaching. Design technology lessons involve a combination of whole class, group and individual teaching and can be divided into three main areas.
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Investigative and Evaluative Activities
These activities provide opportunities for the children to explore existing products and to gain skills, knowledge and understanding which can be applied in a design and make assignment.
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Focused Practical Tasks
Focused practical tasks provided opportunities for the children to learn, practise and apply new skills and knowledge.
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Design and Make Assignments
A design and make assignment provides children with the opportunity to combine their skills, knowledge and understanding to develop products with a specific purpose.
Early Years Foundation Stage
In both our Nursery and Reception classes, the fundamental design technology skills are taught across all areas of the Early Years Curriculum. We provide a range of experiences both indoors and out which attract interest and curiosity. These early experiences include:
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Asking questions about how things work
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Investigating and using a variety of construction kits materials, tools and products
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Develop making skills and handle appropriate tools and construction material safely and with increasing control.
This learning forms the foundations for later work in design and technology.
Design Technology within Key Stage 1
In Key Stage 1, children will design purposeful, functional. Children select from and use a wide range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks as well as a range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients. Children will explore and evaluate a range of existing products as well as their own ideas and products against design criteria. Through the undertaking of cooking and nutrition based activities, children will use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes and develop an understanding of where food comes from.
Design Technology within Key Stage 2
Children in Key Stage 2 will further develop their skills in the areas outlined above. In addition they will have opportunities to generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches. Children will select and use a wider range of materials and components and explain how those choices have contributed to the aesthetics of the finished product. They will apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures, develop an understanding of the use of mechanical and electrical systems in their products. Through carefully planned activities children will further develop their understanding of the principles of a healthy and varied diet. They will prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques and develop an understanding of seasonality .
We are very lucky that our PTA have fundraised to provide a small cooking area with equipment.