Design & Technology

Intent, Implementation and Impact.

Building on Meanwood’s vision and values and the National Curriculum for Design & Technology, we aim to provide an exceptional design & technology education that embraces our school vision. The basic skills of design & technology are vital to provide real life opportunities for our children.

Open Hearts – We create a cooperative learning environment, encouraging children to work together, share ideas and learn collaboratively. 

Open Minds – We inspire our children to strive for excellence in design & technology, equipping them with the essential design and technology skills in order to perform essential everyday tasks. We celebrate their achievements and encourage them to reach their full potential. 

Open Arms – We foster empathy in our pupils, encouraging them to be inspired by design entrepreneurs and be able to contribute to the ever-changing technological world. We promote an inclusive environment where all learners feel valued and supported in their design & technology journey.

Intent

At Meanwood, we are dedicated to nurturing our pupil’s design & technology abilities, fostering a love for the subject, and developing their innovative and creative skills. By integrating the school vision into our design & technology curriculum, we aim to create a learning environment that promotes collaboration, celebrates achievement and fosters empathy and respect. We strive to inspire our pupils to become lifelong learners who are confident in their design & technology abilities, capable of applying essential design and technology skills, in order to perform essential everyday tasks and solve real world problems. Through our commitment to excellence, inclusivity, and holistic development, we aim to empower our pupils to make a positive impact in their communities and the wider world. 

Implementation

At Meanwood, we inspire children to be innovative and creative by designing and making products that solve real and relevant problems. Our design and technology curriculum follows the National Curriculum and provides children with wide ranging opportunities to think critically about real world challenges.

The use of long-term plans and knowledge organisers allow staff to implement lessons that have clear endpoints, ensuring a systematic approach to learning. The design and technology units are progressive between year groups and ensure all the content from the National Curriculum is covered. In EYFS the curriculum is implemented using carefully planned stand alone units of study and ongoing provision within the classroom snd this relates to objectives set out in the Early Years Curriculum.

Teachers assess the children’s recall of prior learning, then build the current teaching upon that to include research skills, practical design talk and questioning, making skills and evaluation activities. Teamwork, problem solving, and reasoning are embedded throughout the curriculum. Additional scaffolding is provided for children who require it to ensure their success, fostering an inclusive learning environment for all.

Impact

At Meanwood our aim is keep all the children working together at broadly the same place by taking small steps in learning.

Formative Assessment

The children’s progress is assessed using regular formative assessment in lessons through questioning, regular retrieval practice, assessment of work and feedback. Before each block of learning, the teacher will; complete a pre-knowledge check based on the previous learning. This allows teachers to teach any necessary connected knowledge prior to the starting the new block of work to support the needs of pupils in their classes.

Children’s work is recorded in a DT floor book which provides all children with the opportunity to succeed without needing to record each step individually, of the design and technology journey.

Summative Assessment

Summative assessment in design & technology takes place at the end of every unit in line with our school’s schedule. At the end of each unit, children will complete an end of unit evaluation and a quiz. This quiz informs the teacher of any children that need further consolidation and/or intervention. These are analysed to help identify vulnerable individuals and to ensure children and classes are on track and progressing effectively.

Tracking Pupil Progress

The results of the end of unit quiz is submitted into a spreadsheet that will track children’s progress. Teachers can then see where there are gaps in learning and provide further teaching and support where necessary.

Staff Development

Training needs are identified as a result of whole school monitoring and evaluation, performance management and through self-analysis. The subject leader is keen to share best practice and disseminate up-to-date initiatives to staff via planned CPD and development time. This will ensure the subject is constantly evolving to meet the demands of curriculum expectations.

Monitoring

The subject leader, SLT and Governors all play a role in the monitoring of design & technology at Meanwood. Regular monitoring via learning walks, book looks and pupil/staff voice feedback ensures the subject is constantly being reviewed and regulated to ensure the best learning opportunities for all.