Design & Technology
Curriculum Intention
At Thoresby, we value Design and Technology as a subject that nurtures and grows pupils’ creativity and ability to innovate, in addition to teaching them about the design and made world, how things work and how to make functional products themselves. We see it as an integral element of STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). The cooking and nutrition element gives strong foundations in the pupils’ understanding of where food comes from and what constitutes a healthy diet.
We follow the National Curriculum in what to teach and draw from research about enquiry learning approaches in how to teach it.
Rationale for the Design and Technology curriculum at Thoresby
We take into account;
- The pupils’ past curriculum experience, including the impact of COVID on their earlier technological knowledge
- The context of the local area being a national hub in the sustainable energy industry (including Siemens Wind Turbine manufacturing)
- Topical and relevant international debate around the environment including taking food ‘miles’ and seasonality into account when making food choices and the use of fossil fuels in industry and transport.
Pupils have ample opportunities to collaborate, make decisions, problem solve and reflect. All aspects that help form a platform for future learning and success.
DETERMINING THE IMPACT OF THE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM
The impact is determined simply by the extent to which pupils get better at Design and Technology. We measure this by;
- How effectively they are able to evaluate existing products and establish design criteria
- Their ability to use different sources of information to carry out deeper research to inform their own designs
- How well they produce increasingly sophisticated sketches, design plans, diagrams and use technology such as CAD
- Their ability to draw on prior knowledge when making choices about the materials they will use, equipment and tools they select when making their products
- How well they are able to evaluate their own products and those of others in relation to design criteria
