Design Technology
Design and Technology (DT) Intent
Alma Park’s Design and Technology (DT) curriculum begins in EYFS. This foundation in DT offers opportunities for young children to use their natural creativity and allows them to investigate, design and make so that they can learn a great deal about their world. The National Curriculum provides the skill and knowledge progression foundations that are then built on to provide a purposeful progression of knowledge, skills and vocabulary. This ensures that the National Curriculum end points are met.
Our pupils are given a breadth of experience to develop their understanding of themselves as individuals within their community and also as members of a wider global community and designers of the future. Pupils build on their knowledge and skills in different areas of DT, so that they can design, make and evaluate products including food technology. This ensures they can share their ideas and opinions to support learning across the entire curriculum, confidently and respectfully.
The DT curriculum gives pupils life skills to enable them to embrace and utilise new technology in a socially responsible and safe way. Alma Park follows the Design & Technology Association guidance including their projects on a page planning resource. This provides opportunities to combine the different strands of the DT National Curriculum requirements and ensures progression. By teaching DT in discrete lessons and with purposeful links to other curriculum areas if relevant, pupils develop imagination, creativity, resilience, problem solving and critical thinking skills. As a UNICEF Rights Respecting School DT is delivered in a safe and inspiring environment which nurtures children’s talents, allowing them to thrive so that when they leave Alma Park they are responsible, active citizens. DT at Alma Park promotes and encourages sustainability in various ways including: using seasonal fruit and vegetables when cooking, using recycled materials whenever possible and using computer added design (CAD) when possible to avoid excessive use of paper. Diversity is embraced by giving opportunities to study a range of diverse past and present designers. Lessons are modified to remove barriers so all pupils, including SEND and disadvantaged children, can meet the same objective.
At Alma Park we are always looking for opportunities to develop our curriculum and this involves seeking enrichment activities for our pupils using local community links.