At Lakey Lane, we encourage children to reflect upon past and present design technology and aspire to become innovators and risk-takers within the design technology world. We aim for all children to acquire the knowledge, skills and confidence to develop their own ideas when designing and creating in order to make a valuable contribution to society. All children will consider the needs, wants and values of themselves and others and design and create products that reflect this understanding.
Intent
We aim to deliver our curriculum through 3 key drivers which underpin our children’slearning.
Aspiration – we strive to ignite our children’s imagination, encouraging them todesign and create products that address real and relevant challenges. Our aim is to equip our children with the creative skills they need to become the innovative designers of tomorrow. Through engaging projects and hands-on experiences, we empower them to think critically, explore possibilities, and develop solutions that can make a difference in their lives and communities. By fostering this spirit of creativity and problem-solving, we prepare our pupils to navigate and shape the future.
Citizenship – Our children will learn how to take risks, become resourceful, enterprising and capable citizens of the future. By encouraging experimentation and creative problem-solving, we help our children to build confidence in their abilities and resilience. This helps our children to navigate an ever-changing world, equipping them with the skills to innovate and thrive in the future.
Equality – The children will learn that anybody can be an inventor. They will consider how to make an essential contribution to he wealth and well-being of the nation, so that all can benefit from equality of opportunities. In addition, they will consider how the intended product designs will empower all users
Intent of our school values linked to our DT curriculum
Ambition - We aim for design technology to prepare our children and to give them the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences they need to be successful in later life. We aspire to create great designers, architects, chefs and engineers.
Self-belief - Children have the confidence to explore, to use creativity and imagination. They are not limited by recipes and instructions but use these as a basis to enhance their own ideas and creations.
Community - We aim for children to become resourceful problem solvers, working individually and as part of a team. We encourage children to recognise the talents around them both within the classroom and within the wider community, and seek toutilise such skills in order to create a range of ideas and solutions within real life contexts.
Respect - Children are expected to respect the contributions made by designers both within the classroom and in the wider world. They understand that their ideas may not match those of others.
Curiosity - Children are motivated to explore products, to find out how they work and use their ideas to design and create their own products.
Kindness - Children give supportive, constructive advice to further improve the products and ideas of others.
Implementation
At Lakey Lane, Design Technology (DT) is a fundamental part of our curriculum, delivered weekly, once a term, across all year groups in KS1 and 2. Our programme, aligned with the Design and Technology Association’s guidance, emphasises key areas: food and nutrition, mechanisms, structures, textiles, and electrical systems.
We have meticulously mapped out the progression of key skills and knowledge throughout the school, ensuring that children build on their learning year after year. Each pupil has a DT book, which serves as a space for researching products, developing design ideas, sketching, and showcasing the skills and vocabulary they've learned, alongside their final designs and evaluations.
Our approach to teaching DT is hands-on and creative. Children engage in a cycle of investigating, designing, focused tasks, making, and evaluating. Lessons begin with retrieval of prior knowledge, helping students see connections to what they’ve learned before.
The journey starts in Reception, where continuous opportunities for exploration in DT introduce young learners to a variety of materials and tools. They develop basic making skills and gain an understanding of how everyday products work.
In KS1, pupils expand their knowledge and refine their skills with materials and tools. Moving into KS2, they tackle more complex design briefs, use advanced tools, and engage with technology, learning to evaluate their creations and those of their peers against design criteria. This structured approach fosters creativity, problem-solving, and practical skills essential for their development in Design and Technology.
Impact
How will we know our intent has been fulfilled?
- We expect the children to know and remember more, demonstrating good progress from their starting points• Our pupils have a thorough knowledge of which tools, equipment and materials to use to make their products and they have the skills to use them
- They have the confidence and knowledge to design their own products and make mistakes.
- Our children will talk enthusiastically about their DT lessons and enjoy this subject.
- The skills and attributes they develop will benefit them beyond school and into adulthood: the ability to use time efficiently, work with others productively, show initiative, independence, resilience and manage risks effectively.