Shiney Row Primary School

Design Technology at Shiney Row Primary School

The design and technology curriculum at Shiney Row Primary School aims to inspire pupils to become curious, creative and innovative thinkers with a broad understanding of how products are designed and made, in other words, to think like designers and engineers. The intention is for pupils to develop the confidence to identify problems, generate ideas, plan and create products and evaluate their outcomes.

Our curriculum aims to raise pupils’ awareness of how design and technology shape the way they live, work and interact with the world. It encourages pupils to become resourceful, enterprising individuals who have the skills to contribute to and improve the world around them.

 

Types of knowledge

In our Design and Technology curriculum, knowledge is defined using three interrelated categories:

Substantive knowledge – the factual and conceptual understanding that underpins the design and creation of products, such as knowing how structures gain stability or how nutrients contribute to a healthy diet.

Disciplinary knowledge – the thinking processes used by designers, including how problems are explored, decisions are justified and ideas are refined through evaluation and feedback.

Procedural knowledge – the practical skills and techniques pupils need to make products effectively and safely, such as joining, cutting, shaping or finishing.

 

The design cycle

It is important that pupils begin to ‘think like designers and engineers’ by considering how designers identify problems, generate ideas and create solutions to meet real-world needs.

Accordingly, our curriculum uses the design cycle to support planning and making. This encourages pupils to ask design questions and learn how designers and engineers develop and refine their ideas through research, testing and evaluation.