Design and Technology is a creative, inspiring and practical subject which allows our pupils to combine knowledge with taught skills. At St Sidwell’s, we encourage pupils to use their creativity and imagination to work individually or as part of a team to design and make usable products which solve real and relevant problems. They are required to consider their own and other’s needs and wants by having a clear user in mind before they begin the design and make process. Design and Technology supports the pupils’ development of key life skills such as teamwork, resilience, adaptability and perseverance which will stand them in good stead for their futures and life in an ever-changing world. We have established a school curriculum map for Design and Technology as an entitlement for all pupils to ensure the following:
• It is aspirational in terms of instilling in our pupils a desire to achieve the highest levels of success through providing them with the opportunities to excel in terms of their acquisition of long-lasting knowledge and understanding and mastery of core skills.
• It is logical, relevant, broad and balanced in terms of the areas of subject content, allowing our pupils to make links to the world around them.
• It is sequenced to ensure that pupils can build on previous knowledge and understanding as they tackle more complex and demanding design criteria.
• It is progressively more challenging from Years 1 through to 6, both in terms of the complexity of the subject knowledge we want our pupils to acquire and the critical thinking skills we support them to utilise to ensure they understand the significance of that knowledge • It is built upon and has continuity with the provision for Design and Technology established in the Early Years Foundation Stage and, in particular that, which addresses the knowledge and skills expectations.
• It is inclusive in terms of delivering the same curriculum to all of our pupils irrespective of specific learning needs or disabilities and differentiating where necessary through, for example, in class support, providing different learning environments, alternative learning activities and assessment outcomes. 
We teach using the National Curriculum, supported by a clear skills and knowledge progression and follows guidance from the DT Associations ‘Skills Progression Framework.’ Teachers make use of the DT Associations ‘Project on a Page’ planners to ensure a clear progression throughout a unit and across year groups. Emphasis is placed on following the Design – Make – Evaluate Cycle where children are provided with opportunities to explore each of these stages within a unit:
Analyse - At the start of a unit, children are given time to explore and reflect upon existing products from the past and present. This may be through real life objects, photographs or video clips. Children are encouraged to discuss and reflect upon the use and effectiveness of a product as well as personal likes and dislikes.
Design - The design process is rooted in real life, relevant contexts which gives meaning to learning and captures the children’s imagination and provides an element of freedom. Together with their teacher, children will be involved in creating a clear design criterion for their product. At this stage, children are involved in making design decisions about their end products such as which materials and tools they want to use, which joining techniques will be most suitable and how their end product will look.
Making - During this stage, children will be taught skills relevant to their unit of work (e.g. slicing and spreading, cross stitch, how to use a junior hacksaw) as well as drawing on skills they have been taught in previous year groups. They will be given a range of tools to choose from as well as being taught how to safely use each tool (e.g. claw and bridge hold for cutting and slicing)
Evaluating - Evaluation is an integral part of the design and making process as it provides opportunities for children to reflect upon, adapt and improve their product as they go. Children will also be given time to assess their own product against the initial design criteria.
During Key Stage 1, the following units are covered:
• Food and Nutrition (Taught in every year group)
• Mechanisms
• Structures
• Textiles
During Key Stage 2, the following units are covered:
• Food and Nutrition (Taught in every year group)
• Mechanical Systems
• Electrical Systems
• Structures
• Textiles
These units are mapped out on our whole school Design and Technology Curriculum Map and are either taught as blocked or weekly lessons depending on the topic. To ensure coverage, it is expected that one DT unit is completed every half term.
Each unit in our programme of learning and teaching in Design and Technology sets clear objectives and outcomes for the pupils in terms of knowledge and understanding and skills acquisition. Each unit identifies a range of ways in which teachers can assess whether a pupil has achieved these outcomes. We ensure that, when assessing our pupils, evidence is drawn from a wide range of sources to inform the process including interaction with pupils during discussions and related questioning, day to day observations, and practical outcomes. The outcomes of each enquiry serve to inform the teacher’s developing picture of the knowledge and understanding of each pupil and to plan future learning accordingly. We do not make summative judgements about individual pieces of pupil work but rather use the outcomes to build an emerging picture of what the pupil knows, understands and can do.