Welcome to Design Technology

Design and Technology at ark Little Ridge 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 disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing, and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising, and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth, and well-being of the nation.

We are very aware of living in a technological age and therefore aim to present our pupils, from a very early age, with problem-solving activities utilising their natural creativity. We follow the process of planning, designing, building, testing, and evaluating so that learning derives equally from all outcomes. We work with a wide range of materials commonly found in our daily lives and encourage our pupils to make their own choices about which are best suited for a task.

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Children’s discovery of world of Design begins in the Early Years where they are provided with regular opportunities to safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function. Children are encouraged to be imaginative and use what they have learnt about media and materials to represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings in original ways through design and technology.

Throughout Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, Design and Technology education helps develop children’s skills through collaborative working and problem-solving, and knowledge in design, materials, structures and mechanics. They are encouraged to be creative and innovative and to think about important issues such as sustainability and enterprise.

There are three core activities children engage with in Design and Technology:

• Activities which involve investigating and evaluating existing products;
• Focused tasks in which children develop particular aspects of knowledge and skills.
• Designing and making activities in which children design and make 'something' for 'somebody' for 'some purpose'

Teachers ensure these three activities are combined in sequence when planning a Design and Technology project. Design and Technology lessons are taught with a mixture of short, focussed tasks and a longer block of time to allow children to become immersed in the making and evaluation of their products. There are three units of work each year, ensuring an even coverage of mechanisms, joining and food technology.

Through engaging in our exciting and inspiring curriculum our pupils will have developed and built-upon a range of skills and knowledge.  They will have learnt about different forms of design and how it impacts on our everyday lives, they will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of real designs and their own work.  This will be heard in their conversations, including peer and self-evaluations, seen throughout their sketchbooks, in their final design model, and in the photographic imagery of the child completing the pieces. Our curriculum ensures that pupils leave Ark Little Ridge Primary Academy with the skills they need for success at secondary school and beyond.

All Year 1 subjects Next Year 1 Subject - Computing

All Year 2 subjects Next Year 2 Subject - Computing

All Year 3 subjects Next Year 3 Subject - Computing

All Year 4 subjects Next Year 4 Subject - Computing

All Year 5 subjects Next Year 5 Subject - Computing

All Year 6 subjects Next Year 6 Subject - Computing