At Willows, we have created our Design and Technology curriculum to allow all pupils to use their creativity and imagination when designing and making real products. We feel it is vital to nurture creativity and innovation through design, and by exploring and succeeding in the increasingly technological world in which we live. We provide our pupils with a wide range of opportunities to design, make and evaluate. All of these taking equal weight in the D/T process. We believe that it is crucial that the children understand they cannot complete one section without the other. They have to design to model, they have to model to evaluate and they have to evaluate to design.

Our Design and Technology curriculum takes into consideration all of the critical National Curriculum aims, whilst giving them real life context to work with. The curriculum also allows the children to build on prior knowledge and gives them the chance to revisit the key areas of design (Food, Textiles, Materials Mechanisms/Electrical and Construction), at least every other year. However, no matter the key area, design, make and evaluate is at the core of the teaching. 

Across the school Design and Technology looks like this, with skills and context developing as the children get older:

Design

• Design should be rooted in real life, relevant contexts to give meaning to the learning.

• Researched designs based on functional, appealing products with purpose.

• Planned through appropriate formats: drawing, templates, talking and mock-ups.

Make:

• Children are given a range of tools for their projects to choose from.

• Children should use a wide range of materials and components, textiles, construction equipment and ingredients.

Evaluate:

• Evaluate existing products.

• Evaluate their own products against design criteria.

• Children should understand how key events and individuals have helped shape design and technology

Alongside our design process, children are taught to use vocabulary (from our vocabulary progression document). Teachers model the use of it and children are expected to use it throughout D/T lessons. This ensures children can articulate their ideas as well as developing their general vocabulary to be able to use beyond D/T lessons.

We plan to deliver the content with relentless consistency, so that over time the children can make a real impact on their academic standards and as well as their personal development.

​​​​​​​Throughout, we encourage the children to generate ideas, work collaboratively and use their imagination to meet goals. All of our children will build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills, which is built upon on year on year. The progression of skills will ensure that our pupils design and make purposeful, functional and appealing products. We hope that our children take inspiration from design throughout history and will identify great designers in all areas of study. This will allow the children to initiate ideas, improve upon existing designs and give reasons for their choice. Our intent is to enable all children to be successful designers who learn how to take risks, become resourceful, innovative and enterprising. We hope that all children acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and feel passionate about Design Technology. We aim to develop a love for D/T by delivering our curriculum in a fun and exciting manner.