Design Technology (D&T)
'You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.'
Maya Angelou
D&T gives children the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and understanding of designing and making functional products. We feel it is vital to nurture creativity and innovation through design, and by exploring the designed and made world in which we all live and work.
At St Benedict's we ensure all pupils produce creative, skillful work. Children have the opportunity to explore their ideas and record their experiences, as well as exploring the work of others and evaluating different creative ideas. Children will become confident and proficient in a variety of techniques including woodwork, textiles and nutrition. Children will also develop their interest and curiosity about Design and Technology through a series of lessons offering skills progression, knowledge progression and offering children the opportunity to ask questions and demonstrate their skills in a variety of ways. The lessons will offer the chance for children to develop their emotional expression through to further enhance their personal, social and emotional development.
Design and Technology education involves two important elements - learning about the designed and made world and how things work, and learning to design and make functional products for particular purposes and users.
We use the DT association, 'projects on a page' to support children acquire and apply knowledge and understanding of materials and components, mechanisms and control systems, structures, existing products, quality and health and safety
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'
These three activities are combined in sequence to create a Design and Technology project.
