Intent

At Hempland, we foster the development of the fundamental skills embedded within Design and Technology: planning, designing, making and evaluating. Design and Technology requires pupils to apply knowledge and skills to solve practical problems and we strive to give children real life scenarios that allow them to be creative and to design with intent and purpose. Our aim is to develop the designers and engineers of tomorrow. We make things that work, and make things work better.

How Design and Technology links with our school values

Children learn to collaborate and work together to problem solve. This encourages children to communicate and collaborate effectively and respectfully.
Children have the opportunity to take part in the design, make and evaluation process over a range of topics using a variety of skills.  They consider design and engineering in the real world and use this to inform their designing processes.
Through solving real life problems, children are behaving like professionals in different fields.   They start to recognise that these are skills they can pursue in a range of ways when they reach adulthood.
Success not coming from the final product but from the process is a key aspect of design.  Through the process of evaluating and improving their work, children learn that resilience is vital.

Implementation

  • We follow the National Curriculum programmes of study for Key Stage 1 and 2 and EYFS Development matters for Early Years. 
  • Children explore DT through the following strands: Mechanisms, Structures, Food technology, Textiles and (Years 4, 5, 6 only) Electric systems.
  • A carefully planned whole school progression of Design and Technology knowledge and skills ensures that children are developing as designers and makers.
  • The teaching process incorporates Investigating and Evaluating Activities (IEAs), Focussed Tasks (FTs) and Design, Make and Evaluate Assignments (DMEAs).
  • Each year, the children develop all of the six DT essential skills: User, Purpose, Innovation, Authenticity, Functionality and Design Decisions.
  • External links are made through providers including STEM Ambassadors, STEM Learning, and F1 in schools. 
  • DT is supported through extra-curricular STEM clubs.

Impact

  • Children will develop a love for DT processes and skills.
  • Children will apply their skills and knowledge to solve problems.
  • Children will be inspired to pursue Design and Technology, either through further study or as a future career.
  • Children will learn and embed the values of collaboration and resilience through a practical context.