Our approach to the Design and Technology curriculum is delivered through a thematic based approach underpinned by the accelerated learning approach to teaching and learning.
The key concepts, principles and themes have been developed from the National Curriculum into a range of progressive knowledge and skills through which the children are helped to grow and develop to succeed in 21st century Britain. This knowledge and skills based curriculum allows a creative way of teaching and learning, enabling us to move away from discrete lessons into a more meaningful, engaging, topic based approach.
At Hoylandswaine, Design and Technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on various disciplines to inspire their learning.
As part of our Design and Technology curriculum, we cover several key areas:
product design & evaluation; food technology; textiles; and resistant materials
The Design and Technology curriculum we offer is designed to meet the needs of all our pupils. It is rich, varied, imaginative and ambitious and meets the needs of individual learners by can easily be adapted for pupils with additional needs.
At Hoylandswaine, within a thematic approach, lessons of Design and Technology within the topic will be taught discretely to ensure depth and rigour in key subject concepts and context. The Design and Technology curriculum is rich and varied and provides our pupils with the skills required for life in the 21st Century
The Accelerated Learning Cycle, based on the work of Alastair Smith, is applied in all lessons. It stems from the idea of a supportive and challenging learning environment. The cycle has active engagement through multi-sensory learning, encourages the demonstrating understanding of learning in a variety of ways and the consolidation of knowing.
A gather, skills, apply approach to planning and delivery of lessons is taken across school to ensure children develop a deep understanding of specific skills and are able to apply these in a range of situations.
Formative assessment is ongoing throughout each lesson. It judges progress and enables teachers to make flexible adaptions to their planned teaching.
Through this regular ongoing assessment, tasks are matched to the ability of each child through differentiated activities, adult support, providing a level of challenge that is stimulating for pupils and questioning skills.
Alongside formative assessment, the curriculum document for Design & Technology is regularly highlighted to identify any gaps or misconceptions to be addressed. This allows children to acquire complex skills that depends on the fundamentals of their prior knowledge in a well designed curriculum sequence.
Credits:
Created with an image by Pexels - "arts and crafts blur carpentry"