Intent, Implementation and Impact Statement: Design Technology

Intent

At Northbury Primary School, we value Design Technology as an important part of the pupils’ entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. DT provides pupils with the opportunities to develop and extend skills and gives them the chance to express their individual interests, thoughts and ideas. The school believes that DT is a vital part of pupils’ education, with a significant and valuable role in the taught curriculum and the enrichment opportunities we offer our pupils.

Design and Technology embodies some of the highest forms of human creativity. High-quality DT education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own designs, textiles, structures and recipes. The curriculum develops pupils’ critical abilities, as well as an understanding of their own and others’ cultural heritages through the study of a diverse range of artists. Pupils will learn how this reflects and shape our history, and contribute to the culture, creativity and wealth of our lives.

The school’s overarching intent based on nurture and diversity is embedded into our overviews to ensure that the curriculum is reflective of our school community and all teaching is delivered using a nurturing approach. 

Implementation

Design and Technology is taught on a half termly basis to ensure full coverage of the National Curriculum and is taught as part of our topic-based curriculum.  Pupils develop their understanding of DT with effective teaching and considered sequences of lessons and experiences. Lessons are planned and delivered by a specialist Art and DT teacher, in PPA.

DT is a valued part of the curriculum and, as such, opportunities are made for pupils to celebrate their achievement by sharing it with their families and the wider community. DT lessons are linked to the school’s topic-based curriculum and are planned to match the topic the children are studying. Lessons follow a structure where they produce a final piece of work at the end of the half term following on from a build-up of lessons which allow the children to acquire the relevant skills and knowledge.

DT is assessed against the national curriculum expectations. Opportunities are made for pupils who show a particular interest or greater accomplishment through specialist afterschool clubs.

Pupils with SEN have the opportunity to experience art and design appropriate to their level.

Impact

By the end of their time with us, we want pupils to have learned, improved and embedded a range of innovative skills. They should have an awareness of a broad range of artists and craftspeople, and be able to consider and discuss the artworks and design and technology they come across. We want our pupils to be confident to explore, experiment and take risks, placing value on the process and journey that they take, not just on the finished product. Most importantly, we want our pupils to have found and enjoyed a creative outlet – a means of self-expression and enjoyment.