Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Design and Technology encourages children to learn to think and intervene creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team.

At Haddenham Community Junior School, we encourage children to use their creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. We aim to, wherever possible, link work to other subject areas such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. The children are also given opportunities to reflect upon and evaluate past and present design technology, its uses and its effectiveness and are encouraged to become innovators and risk-takers.

Through a variety of creative and practical activities, we teach the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. The children design and create products that consider function and purpose and which are relevant to a range of sectors (for example, the home, school, leisure, culture, enterprise, industry and the wider environment).

When designing and making, the children are taught to:

Design

• Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups.

• Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces, and computer aided design.

Make

• Select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks (eg. cutting, shaping, joining and finishing.

• Accurately select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities.

Evaluate

• Investigate and analyse a range of existing products.

• Evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work.

• Understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped the world

• Apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen, and reinforce more complex structures.

• Understand and use mechanical systems in their products (gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages)

• Understand and use electrical systems in their products (eg. circuits, switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors)

• Apply their understanding of computing to program, monitor and control their products

• understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet.

• Prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques

• Understand seasonality, and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.