Intent
At Greenholm Primary School, our Design Technology (DT) curriculum inspires creativity, innovation, and problem-solving. Through hands-on experiences, children design, create, and evaluate purposeful products while developing resilience, curiosity, and collaboration. DT supports our vision of helping all children become confident, motivated, and ready for success.
Our curriculum values individuality while fostering teamwork, critical thinking, and reflection. By guiding children through the design process, we build technical skills and encourage risk-taking and learning from outcomes.
Rationale
Our DT curriculum is built on three principles:
- Progression: Skills are developed sequentially, enabling children to master increasingly complex techniques.
- Practical Application: Projects address real-world challenges, promoting thoughtful design and construction.
- Cross-Curricular Links: DT enhances learning by connecting with subjects such as science, geography, and art.
Pupils reflect on their creations, evaluate against criteria, and understand the importance of sustainability.
Implementation
Design Technology at Greenholm includes diverse, practical experiences across key areas:
- Food Technology:
Pupils develop food preparation skills, understand healthy eating, and explore sustainability. Projects involve designing and creating nutritious recipes. - Construction and Mechanisms:
Children build structures and mechanisms, applying techniques such as cutting, joining, and reinforcing. They design models like homes or vehicles, exploring materials and problem-solving. - Textiles:
Pupils learn sewing and stitching to create functional and decorative items, building confidence in fabric use and design evaluation. - Product Design and Evaluation:
Across all year groups, pupils engage with the design process:
a. Researching and generating ideas.
b. Using tools and materials to create designs.
c. Evaluating outcomes and identifying improvements.
Impact
Our DT curriculum empowers children to think creatively and critically while tackling practical challenges. By the time they leave Greenholm, pupils will:
- Possess a wide range of technical and practical skills.
- Reflect thoughtfully on their own work and others’.
- Demonstrate resilience, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities.
- Appreciate the role of design and technology in their community and the wider world.
Through DT, we aim to inspire children to imagine, create, and make meaningful contributions to their world.