Middle Barton School

Our design and technology curriculum focuses  on the five key areas of: textiles, structures, mechanisms, electrical systems and food. Children are given the opportunity to explore and evaluate a range of successful products and innovations and be inspired by engineers, designers, chefs and architects before designing, making and evaluating their own project, applying their knowledge to a real-life purpose.

 Our Design and Technology curriculum encourages children to  think and work creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team.

For years 1-6, lessons are structured using prior learning, revists and new learning. 

Prior learning: to check that children have embedded knowledge from the previous learning, often from a previous year.

Revisits: recapping knowledge and skills, and addressing misconceptions from recent lessons within the current unit.

New learning: introducing new concepts, skills and knowledge. 

When designing and making, the children are taught to:

Design:

• use research to develop a criteria to inform the design of a functional, appealing product that is fit for purpose.

• generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas.

Make:

• select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks.

• select from and use a wider range of materials, ingredients and components.

Evaluate:

• investigate and analyse a range of existing products.

• evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work.

• understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world.

Technical knowledge:

• apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures.

• understand and use mechanical systems in their products.

• understand and use electrical systems in their products.

• Understand some of the ways that food can be processed and the effect of different cooking practises

 Examples of work are recorded in a class floor book.

Live feedback in lessons informs future planning

 Targeted questioning throughout lessons

 Prior learning questions are completed at the beginning of lessons to assess learning from previous year/years

 At the end of a unit children are assessed using the school’s tracking system which informs future learning.