VISION 

To determine practical solutions to real-world challenges, through deconstruction, design and discovery.  

INTENT 

Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. At Cherry Orchard, it is our intention that the children will design, make and evaluate products within a real-life context. Through the D&T curriculum, children are inspired by the legacy of world class engineers, designers, chefs and architects. Through the study of D&T, children combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues, as well as of functions and industrial practices. It is our intention that D&T will inspire our children to make essential future contributions as global citizens in an ever-changing world. 

IMPLEMENTATION 

Planning is sequenced to return to key knowledge and skills regularly and build upon these cumulatively. The units of work have been designed carefully to expose children to solving problems in a wide range of contexts; local, national and global. Each unit starts with a ‘Driving Question’ which serves as the design brief. All teaching of D&T follows the design, make and evaluate cycle.  Each stage is rooted in technical knowledge and technical vocabulary.  

We allocate one afternoon every 2 weeks for our D&T lessons which are practical, using deconstruction and exploration to better understand mechanisms, structures, food, textiles and electronics. The discussion and discovery stage of the process leads the children towards a better understanding of the subject matter. Practical lessons and frequent retrieval of language and design principles enable the children to embed knowledge into their long-term memory. The making process gives the children choices over materials and tools that have been provided. To evaluate, children complete a critical evaluation of the final product with reference back to the ‘Driving Question’ (design brief) and design specification/criteria. 

IMPACT 

Within D&T children are prepared to take part in the development of tomorrow’s rapidly changing world. We encourage children to become creative problem-solvers, both as individuals and as part of a team. Evidence of each stage of the process in D&T books will show clear progression across key stages and year groups.