Design Technology at KEPS

Intent -what do we want for our future product designers?

In line with the rest of our curriculum, we want confident, inquisitive independent learners - who develop and discover their own passion for designing and creating products for a purpose. We celebrate the skills and mindsets that designers and practical creators need in our pupils, to enable them to live in an increasingly technological and mechanical world. Our DT curriculum allows the children to link their understanding in other subjects to solve real and relevant problems. In this way at KEPS, pupils are encouraged to take risks, think outside the box and become enterprising, innovative citizens.

Implementation - How do we teach it at KEPS?

We follow the National Curriculum and a carefully designed  bespoke sequence of lessons that teach skills, knowledge and revisits key concepts throughout their time here . Our children develop their skills with a particular focus on structures, mechanisms and  food technology.  Pupils will create an ongoing product in class relating to a real-life problem, challenge or the learning in another subject. Through a variety of creative and practical activities we use the following model where the start and end point can vary according to the project:

Design – use research, and develop criteria to design for a purpose and communicate their ideas through a range of mediums.
Create – use a wider range of tools and equipment with accuracy and use a wider range of materials and components according to their qualities.
Evaluate – evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work.

Through this process, the aim is to develop the pupils’ technical knowledge and vocabulary in relation to structural design, mechanical and electrical systems, the integration of technology and food production and nutrition. Often, these tasks will be completed collaboratively and therefore links directly with the school values of TEAMWORK.

Food technology

Children will learn how to plan, make and evaluate a range of different recipes. In addition, the children will gain a deeper understanding of the health and safety skills that are needed when working with food and cooking equipment. They will be able to work safely in a kitchen environment and use tools to create a product.

We will adapt our provision in the DT curriculum by setting suitable learning challenges, responding to pupils’ diverse learning needs, and overcoming potential barriers.  We may choose objectives for pupils with SEND that are different from those of the rest of the class or modify the curriculum to remove barriers so all pupils meet the same objectives.

Impact - How do we know that our approach works?

Everything we do is with the child in mind and strong relationships are built between pupils and staff which create an atmosphere for learning which is conductive to success.

Children will have clear enjoyment and confidence in DT that they will then apply to other areas of the curriculum and develop their curiosity

Children will ultimately know more, remember more and understand more about DT, and how it fits into our world. They will demonstrate this knowledge when using tools or skills in other areas of the curriculum and in opportunities out of school. As designers, children will develop skills and attributes they can use beyond school and into adulthood. Children will enjoy a creative buzz in designing and creating across the curriculum.

Liz Meeten 11/11/22