Design and Technology
Design and Technology Curriculum Intent Statement
At Faringdon Infant School we nurture our children’s inner creativity and confidence. Through our learning muscles our Design & Technology curriculum encourages our children to become independent, creative problem-solvers. It also allows them to learn to think as individuals and as part of a team. The children develop their knowledge and understanding of how and why products are made in the way they are and how these products could be modified and improved. Design and Technology combines skills, knowledge, concepts and values to enable children to tackle real problems as well as being able to evaluate. We do not just focus on an end product; the whole process encourages children to make decisions for themselves, develop their ideas and to be empowered to evaluate their design. We make these experiences relevant and meaningful. Our children will learn to make something, for someone, for some purpose.
The Design and Technology curriculum also includes cooking and nutrition. Our children will learn where our food comes from and develop the skills needed to prepare and cook healthy food.
Our Implementation of Design and Technology
In Nursery and Reception D&T (Design and Technology) is taught through Expressive Arts and Design and is incorporated into all areas of learning. As well as focused activities (see FIS DT overview), children are provided with opportunities to explore and experiment with construction resources, whilst developing their creative thinking. They become confident in selecting and using tools and techniques safely. The children also have experiences allowing them to explore the preparation and cooking of food (this has been restricted due to the pandemic).
The resources in the continuous provision assist the children in achieving the above. These include lego and wheels, duplo, geostrips (plastic strips used with split pins), wooden blocks and many more. The resources allow the children at a young age, to explore balancing, and to learn to make a structure stronger and more stable (National Curriculum statement).
Making stations are used in all classes with a variety of resources allowing the children to design and create their own product. Design sheets are made available for the children to take ownership of their product.
In Years 1 and 2, DT projects are linked to the topic theme each term. DT provides an opportunity for the children to go down an exciting path of investigating, designing, making, modifying and evaluating. The children will be able to work independently and with others, to solve problems set by the teacher or by themselves. This process allows the children to gain an understanding of what it is to design a product, what technology is and how it can be used in their world.
Below are the following documents-
- DT statements from Early Years to end of Key Stage 1 – statements from the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) and The National Curriculum.
- FIS DT Yearly Overview – this details the topics covered over the year, and the DT activities the children carry out.
- FIS Design and Technology Progression of Skills from Nursery to Year 2 – this details the DT journey from Nursery to Year 2.
- Spiritual (S), Moral (M), Social (S) and Cultural (C) Development in Design and Technology – this outlines how SMSC development is integrated into the DT curriculum.
The Impact of our Design and Technology Curriculum
Nursery
Design and technology is linked to exploration and investigation. Through their senses, children learn about what things can do, and what can be done with them. The following photographs from our Nursery demonstrate this.
Reception
In Reception the children have opportunities to explore building, balancing and joining, using a variety of construction resources as well as recycled materials. All the classes have making tables which allow the children to use a variety of materials to begin the design process and create something wonderful! The children begin to explore who their product is for and its purpose.
The children also have a lot of opportunities to taste a variety of food and begin to learn where their food comes from.
Year 1 / 2
Year 1 / 2 had a bit of a problem to solve! They had to design and make a new chair for Baby Bear!
Year 2
Year 2 explored wheels and axles before making their fire engines.
Year 2's fire engines - the process and final product!
Cooking and Nutrition in Year 2 - bread making and preparing fruit kebabs.
The children were set a challenge! Percy the Park Keeper needed a new wheelbarrow, a watering can, a bag and a vehicle to get around the park. The children took this on and with Percy in mind, they designed and created these items perfectly for him.
