Intent

At Tidemill, our DT curriculum aims to inspire and instill creativity, curiosity and critical thinking skills in all learners. We intend to provide a platform for pupils to develop the expertise needed to perform design tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world. Our DT curriculum aims to equip children with a range of skills which are important for use in their future lives. By ensuring children develop a broad and balanced knowledge base, understanding and skills set, we aim to foster a passion for DT whilst encouraging children to become risk takers, who are enterprising and innovative lifelong learners.

Implementation

Throughout each school year, children are exposed to a range of practical and thought-provoking DT experiences that promote creativity through a range of engaging lessons.  At Tidemill, children complete activities that promote and strengthen their knowledge and understanding; this includes designing, creating and evaluating products for specific purposes linked to their topic. To deepen their understanding, regular cross-curricular links are made, in particular with English and science. As a result, children are able to evidence their knowledge through extended writing opportunities; this also helps to deepen scientific and technological knowledge and understanding. In addition, Tidemill runs a range of annually themed weeks, such as Science Week and Healthy Schools Week that provide opportunities to apply skills learnt.  During these weeks, the whole school focuses on a theme, allowing the children to use their skills and knowledge in a way that is relevant and contextual.

In EYFS, children are given opportunities to develop their understanding of the world by using and manipulating a range of tools and develop practical skills whilst having discussions about products and their roles in our world. In KS1 and KS2, DT is planned and taught using objectives from the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) and the national curriculum, ensuring all children receive a broad and balanced curriculum, which includes food technology. At Tidemill, a range of practical opportunities to design, research, create and evaluate are embedded throughout topics.  In KS1, there is a focus on developing children’s practical tool usage and manipulation whilst also developing an understanding of the need for designing and making through a range of relevant contexts. As the children progress into KS2, they further cultivate their designing and making skills whilst developing their understanding of the relevance of researching and evaluating products to inform their design and to ensure that they are fit for purpose. Vocabulary is explicitly taught and developed throughout the school to allow scaffold and challenge at all levels.