Design & Technology
Intent:
At Camps Hill, our intent is to deliver a Design and Technology curriculum that is taught consistently and progressively across the school, enabling all pupils to build secure and transferable knowledge and skills. We are committed to providing first‑hand, practical learning experiences that allow children to understand how design influences the world around them.
Through a wide range of thoughtfully planned projects, pupils learn to design, make and evaluate products with real and relevant purposes. They draw upon a broad set of technical skills—such as construction, mechanisms, textiles, structures and simple electronics—as well as key knowledge from other curriculum areas including mathematics, science and art.
Our curriculum encourages children to think creatively, solve problems and make purposeful decisions throughout the design process. By engaging with meaningful contexts, pupils learn how products are developed, improved and refined. This hands‑on, iterative approach supports children in becoming resourceful, innovative and reflective designers.
Our aim is that all pupils leave Camps Hill with the confidence, curiosity and technical understanding needed to continue designing and creating solutions in their future learning and everyday lives.
Implementation:
- The ‘DT Progression Document’ has been designed to ensure that children receive a balanced and progressive education in DT throughout their time in EYFS, KS1 and KS2.
- In Early Years, this is based on the Early Learning Goals in the EYFS statutory framework and Development Matters, with a key focus on Physical Development, and Expressive Arts and Design.
- In KS1 and KS2, teaching is focussed on the ‘Design, Make and Evaluate’ cycle outlined in the National Curriculum, through which they will also acquire a broad range of technical knowledge and vocabulary.
- To ensure that children are aware of, and understand, the skills required to meet a given DT objective, a key stage specific Skills Wheel is displayed and discussed prior to each lesson.
- Through Christmas Decorations Day and various WOW events, children are given further opportunities to enjoy, explore, develop and apply their DT skills across different contexts.
How we measure impact:
At the end of each unit, Teachers make judgements about how confidently pupils have applied their skills and retained knowledge. Teachers then use these judgements at the end of the academic year to record whether or not a pupil is working towards, at or beyond the age expectations. These are recorded on our school assessment system.
Where pupils are exceptional, opportunities to work on individual projects with the site manager or on whole school ones, are arranged.
Skills Wheels