Kate Harley

Design and Technology Co-ordinator

kharley@chaddlewoodschool.org.uk

 

'A Chaddlewood designer solves problems in the real world and with a relevant context using a DT cyclical model of design. They also develop their cooking and food technology skills by making a wide range of recipes that again give a context for their cooking skills and knowledge of foods. They are problem solvers who have the skills to solve the problems!'

Disciplinary Concepts

Intent:

Design Technology should provide children with a real life context for learning. At Chaddlewood we want to create opportunities for children to thrive in the wider world. Through the DT curriculum, children should be inspired by engineers, designers, chefs and architects to enable them to create a range of structures, mechanisms, textiles, electrical systems and food products with a real life purpose. Children design products with a purpose in mind and an intended user of the products. Food technology is implemented across the school with children developing an understanding of where food comes from, the importance of a varied and healthy diet and how to prepare this.

DT at Chaddlewood is planned using the NC subject content as assigned to each key stage. We then use knowledge and skills combined as a basis to design, make and evaluate their products and dishes. 

DT projects are often made cross curricular-linking to other subjects taught.

The planning format follows an immersion, review and assessment and skills and knowledge-rich phases.  Lessons are differentiated by outcome and assessments are made against the assessment framework mapped out for each year group, for each unit.

Cooking skills are progressive from EYFS to year 6 and are broken down into small steps which are assigned to year groups. This is to ensure that when a Chaddlewood child reaches year 6 they can confidently use a range of these skills to create a variety of dishes successfully. 

Planning also provides the opportunity to embed previous learning  and develop links between lessons and their objectives. Connections are made with previously taught DT  topics as part of the ‘overlap of learning’ and to consolidate and deepen understanding. We share photos of what the children have learnt in previous year groups and use this tool to retrieve prior knowledge. 

At Chaddlewood we believe there are 6 essentials of DT which we use to pitch our projects effectively so they can reach their full potential. The focusses for these are: user, purpose, functionality, design decisions, innovation, authenticity. 

When working, it is essential that children know how to stay safe and use a variety of tools correctly. This is paramount in all areas of DT.  For example, in cooking we always start our practical lessons by working through the 6 steps to safe cooking preparation; tie long hair back, remove jewellery, put on a clean apron, make sure your equipment and food prep area is clean, roll up sleeves and wash hands.