Subject statement

Design and Technology Rationale

At Jericho Primary School, we are designers. We want our children to love design technology. We want them to have no limits to their ambitions and grow up wanting to be an architect, graphic designer, product designer, engineer, chef, inventor, fashion designer.

We want our core values to be represented in our children: achievement, adventure, respect, and creativity. We all believe that: “we are growing the hearts and minds of today to build the communities of tomorrow” and the ambition of our children embodies this ideal.

Our high-quality design and technology curriculum engages, inspires and challenges pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own skilfully designed and made products. Children will learn how design both reflects and has shaped our history, and contributes to the culture, creativity and wealth of our nation. We want our children to remember their design technology learning in our school, to cherish these memories and embrace the creative opportunities they are presented with. 

Curriculum Intentions

• The design and technology curriculum is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject that promotes curiosity and a love and thirst for learning. It is ambitious and empowers our children to become independent and resilient – like all curriculum areas. 
• We want our children to produce resourceful, innovative, original work, confidently exploring their ideas and recording their experiences without any fear of failure.
• We aspire for all of your children to become proficient in drawing, modelling using different materials and develop skills to be able to measure, mark out, cut and join materials like paper and card, textiles, wood, plastics and electrical components to make their own products after evaluating existing products. Also to prepare food safely and with consideration to healthy eating.
• Vocabulary is a key element of our design lessons where it is explicitly taught and modelled. We evaluate and analyse design works using the language of design.
• We enrich their time in our school with memorable, unforgettable experiences and provide opportunities, which are normally out of reach.  We want our children to know about great designers, engineers, inventors and manufacturers and understand the historical and cultural development of their design works.  For example, Y6 visiting London will experience different forms of engineering from The London Eye to the many different bridges across the Thames. The castles topic in Year 1 allows the children to see how a drawbridge and portcullis works as well as working with fruit and they may have grown in science, to make healthy snacks. Children taking part in the Lego League competition design and make their own robot, which they programme to fulfil a particular set of tasks.