Design and Technology
Design and Technology at St Cross Catholic Primary School
At St Cross, the Design and Technology curriculum combines skills, knowledge, concepts and values to enable children to tackle real and relevant problems. Design and Technology is a practical subject and aim to link work to other subject areas such as mathematics, science, computing and art, thereby enabling pupils to notice connections and patterns in their learning.
We follow the Projects on a Page scheme of work, which allows the teachers to be creative with their lessons, whilst still ensuring all aspects of the National Curriculum are covered.
Design and Technology is implemented in 5 different units:
- Food
- Electricity
- Structures
- Textiles
- Mechanisms.
Early Years
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children are encouraged to explore and use a variety of media and materials during a combination of Adult Initiated and Child Initiated activities. Children are given opportunities to:
- Use different media and materials to express their own ideas.
- Begin to make plans and construct with a purpose in mind, using a variety of resources.
- Use what they know about different media and materials in original ways, not being afraid to explore and try new things.
- Learn how to use simple tools and techniques appropriately, effectively and safely.
- Identify foods that are good or not good for them and learn how to prepare some foods hygienically.
Key Stage 1
In Key Stage 1, children are taught through creative and practical activities. Children develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in the designing and making process. When designing and making, children will learn to:
Design:
- Design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and others based on design criteria.
- Generate, develop and communicate their ideas through talking and drawings.
Make:
- Select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks.
- Select from and use a wide range of materials and components.
Evaluate:
- Explore and evaluate a range of existing products.
- Evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria.
Key Stage 2
In Key Stage 2, children at St Cross will learn about key events and individuals that have influenced the world of Design and Technology. Children will learn through a variety of creative and practical activities. When designing and making, children will:
Design:
- Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at individuals or groups.
- Generate, model and communicate their ideas through a range of ways using a variety media.
Make:
- Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks- cutting, shaping, joining and finishing.
- Select from and use a wider range of materials 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.
Food and Nutrition
At St Cross, we drive to instil to our pupils how to cook and apply the importance of nutrition and healthy eating. We believe it is important to encourage a love of cooking as it will open up one of the great expressions of human creativity. Learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that enables our pupils to feed themselves and others well, now and in later life.
Key Stage 1 Food and Nutrition:
- To use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes.
- To understand where food comes from.
Key Stage 2 Food and Nutrition:
- To understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet.
- To be able to prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques.
- To understand seasonality and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.
Autumn Term Design and Technology across the school
