Intent

At Rolleston Primary School we want to provide a design and technology curriculum that nurtures creativity, critical-thinking and practical problem-solving.  We believe that many of the skills taught and developed through design and technology transcend through and are vital to so many other subjects.  Using this scheme ensures that the skills, knowledge and understanding required are progressively covered throughout the school.  Once these skills are firmly learnt and embedded they can then be applied by children confidently throughout the primary curriculum.  

Implementation

The Early Years curriculum introduces and develops the skills required to move into Year 1 through a range of activities and opportunities to develop both the children’s fine and gross motor skills.  The established continuous provisions consistently provide regular chances for children to explore tools and equipment, materials and joining techniques.  The EYFS curriculum provides experiences to develop the basis for the children to begin to understand the design process.

Design and technology is taught in Key stage 1 and key stage 2 through the PlanBee curriculum.  From Key Stage 1, topics are taught discretely in 3 units, half termly.  This approach has been taken to ensure that specific skills can be explored, developed and applied during these lessons.  Each year group has a focus on technical knowledge and Cooking and Nutrition, whilst sewing and textiles is focused on in years 2, 4 and 5 and electricity in year 4.

These topics are either delivered through weekly lessons or in a block of sessions which is at the discretion of the year group.  Throughout each topic the children are given opportunities to research, design, make and evaluate their work.

Impact

The focused topics provided by the PlanBee curriculum allow children to apply and continue to reinforce skills that they have previously learnt whilst developing new ones. 

By the end of their time at Rolleston, pupils should have developed a strong foundation in design and technology, with the ability to research and effectively communicate their ideas, create and make their designs and competently evaluate their work.  A focus on real-life projects ensure that children leave primary school with the skills and knowledge needed to embark on the next challenges in their learning.