Design and Technology Vision Statement
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” (Steve Jobs, American inventor and designer, 1955 – 2011)
At St John’s Primary School, we feel children should be inspired by a diverse range of people in society such as engineers, designers, chefs and architects. This empowers children to create a range of structures, mechanisms, textiles, electrical systems and food products with a real-life purpose, balancing function and aesthetics. Through our inclusive teaching, we aspire for all children to become skilled in the following key areas:
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- Textiles
- Structures
- Food & Nutrition
- Mechanisms
- Electrical Systems (KS2)
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Design and Technology at St John’s Primary School is a practical, rigorous and inspiring subject requiring children to use imagination, resourcefulness and creativity. Design and Technology lessons are relevant, purposeful and acknowledge the unlimited potential of HUMANS to solve problems. The process of ‘Design, Make, Evaluate’ enables the children to be adventurous whilst developing their independent, collaborative and practical skills in an increasingly technical world.
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To support learners with additional needs, our ordinarily available provision is underpinned by inclusive approaches and strategies captured on our Quality First Inclusive Teaching document – although this is by no means an exhaustive list. Some children will need more bespoke provision which is then planned on an individual or small group basis.
How is DT inclusive?
Age and skill appropriate tools provided and techniques taught (e.g. knives and chopping holds); frequent referrals to the vocabulary through loops of learning, during the lessons and in real-life experiences including in other subjects (e.g. ‘prototype’, ‘evaluate’); visual imagery and symbols used to represent vocabulary, instructions, outcomes and processes; different life skills explicitly taught and awareness of children’s prior knowledge/backgrounds considered with pre-teaching opportunities identified; physical and sensory needs catered for by enabling interactive, visual and real-life experiences; different methods of recording learning encouraged – DT is practical and verbal with adults scribing where appropriate to ensure focus is on skills and knowledge acquired.
