Curriculum
At Ashleigh Primary our aim with DT is to provide children with knowledge, understanding and skills that prepare them for life beyond primary education and ultimately helps them to become resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Children at Ashleigh make real products or prototypes of real products designed to solve real problems in ways which are relevant to the children’s ages and stages of development. Children are encouraged to use their imagination and creativity but also to consider the needs of the product user be it themselves or another individual or group.
Children will learn that designing and making is an iterative process through which they will need to continually evaluate their product by testing their ideas and making improvements. They will also use these important critical thinking skills to critique existing products and the work of others.
Throughout their time at Ashleigh, children complete projects where they design and make: structures; mechanisms and mechanical systems; electrical systems including programming; textiles products and food products. These projects are organised in such a way that the skills developed are age and stage appropriate and build on prior learning in DT and other subjects.
The children use a wide range of technology at Ashleigh – iPads, BeeBots and laptops with various operating systems. This means that by the time they come to their KS2 Programming and Control units, they are familiar with programming technology through their computing lessons and are ready to use the Primary Crumbles to programme LEDs, motors and various switches within their products.
Use of Ashleigh Farm is encouraged to help children understand seasonality and where their food comes from within Cooking and Nutrition projects.
Through DT children will draw on and develop a broad range of knowledge from other subjects including English, maths, science, computing and art.
By the end of Year 6, Ashleigh children will be able to evaluate past and present design and technology, and have a critical understanding of design’s impact on daily life and the wider world.
Children will know how to make a range of structures stronger and more stable so that they are fit for purpose. They will know how mechanisms can be built and then turned into mechanical systems which can achieve a desired output. They will know how to build electrical systems including programmable components which can monitor the external environment and control the output of the electrical system. Children will know how to create products from textiles including using patterns. They will know how to make a range of appetising dishes and will understand that recipes can be adapted to taste. Children will also be able to use a range of cutting, joining, shaping and finishing techniques across all areas of design and technology.
Children will know, remember and be able to use and range of subject specific vocabulary. Children will understand that the design process follows an iterative cycle of thoughts and actions which solves problems encountered during the making process.
Children will know that when designing a product, there should be a clear user in mind and that the product should be functional and appealing to that user. They will also know that products are designed to fulfil a purpose or solve a problem.
Knowledge Organisers
Achievements
