Intent

At The Grange Academy, our Design and Technology curriculum is designed to inspire pupils to become innovative and creative thinkers who understand and value the product design cycle through ideation, creation, and evaluation. By engaging in hands-on, practical experiences, pupils develop the confidence to take risks, draft design concepts, model and test their ideas, and refine their outcomes based on evaluation and reflection.

We aim to:

• Foster creativity and innovation: Pupils explore and develop their ideas, gaining the skills to design and produce purposeful and functional products.
• Build resilience and reflection: Pupils learn to evaluate their own work and that of others, using feedback to enhance their outcomes and become reflective learners.
• Promote real-world application: Pupils engage with meaningful projects that help them understand the impact of design and technology on their lives and encourage them to think about how they can contribute to advancements in design.

Through our curriculum, pupils develop:

• Practical skills: Using a variety of tools and techniques, pupils gain confidence in building high-quality prototypes and products.
• Problem-solving abilities: Pupils learn to identify challenges, develop creative solutions, and adapt their designs to meet specific needs.
• Awareness of sustainability: Pupils are encouraged to make environmentally conscious choices in their designs, considering the long-term impact on the world.

Our Design and Technology scheme aligns with the National Curriculum attainment targets the curriculum supports a progression of knowledge and skills, ensuring pupils leave with a secure understanding of key concepts and the ability to apply them creatively.

By the time pupils leave The Grange Academy, they will have developed the skills, knowledge, and confidence to engage with design and technology in their future learning and lives, contributing as resourceful and enterprising citizens.

 

Implementation

At The Grange Academy, our Design and Technology curriculum is delivered using the Kapow Primary Design and Technology Scheme of Work, which ensures a progressive and engaging curriculum aligned with the National Curriculum. The scheme is designed to provide pupils with opportunities to explore, create, and evaluate through a range of projects that develop their skills in design, making, evaluation, and technical knowledge.

 

Curriculum Structure

The National Curriculum organises the attainment targets for Design and Technology under four strands: Design, Make, Evaluate, and Technical Knowledge. These strands form the basis of our Kapow curriculum, ensuring clear progression of skills and knowledge across each year group. Pupils revisit and build upon their learning through a spiral curriculum model, developing increasing complexity and depth as they progress.

Our curriculum covers six key areas, which pupils encounter repeatedly throughout their time at The Grange Academy:

1. Cooking and Nutrition
2. Mechanisms/Mechanical Systems
3. Structures
4. Textiles
5. Electrical Systems
6. Digital World

Each unit is carefully planned to follow the design process—design, make, and evaluate—while focusing on contextual, historical, and technical understanding.

 

Timetabling and Delivery

• Timetabling: Design and Technology is taught as a discrete subject on a rotational basis with art, ensuring a focused and balanced approach to the creative curriculum. Each unit spans a term, allowing pupils sufficient time to explore the design process in depth.
• Delivery: Lessons are practical, hands-on, and engaging, incorporating a range of teaching strategies such as independent tasks, paired work, group projects, and computer-based activities.
• Rationale: This approach ensures pupils have regular opportunities to develop their technical and creative skills while applying their learning to real-world scenarios.

 

Teaching and Learning Strategies

1. Progressive Skill Development:
   • Units are sequenced to ensure progression, with knowledge organisers supporting pupils in building a foundation of key facts and vocabulary.
   • Pupils respond to design briefs and scenarios that require consideration of the needs of others, fostering empathy and problem-solving skills.
2. Diverse Learning Experiences:
   • Practical tasks involve the use of tools, materials, and techniques to create high-quality outcomes.
   • Computer-based tasks introduce pupils to modern technologies, including digital design tools, fostering innovation and preparing them for future challenges.
3. Inclusive and Differentiated:
   • Lessons are differentiated to ensure accessibility for all pupils, including those with SEND, while providing stretch opportunities for high-attaining pupils.
   • Teacher videos and CPD resources ensure all staff feel confident in delivering lessons to a high standard.

 

Resources and Tools

To support high-quality delivery, we provide:

• A variety of tools and materials, including saws, hammers, glue guns, textiles, and digital devices, to ensure pupils can explore a range of techniques and technologies.
• Kapow teacher videos to enhance subject knowledge and support ongoing professional development.
• Knowledge organisers to help pupils recall and apply key vocabulary and facts during their projects.

 

Raising the Profile of Design and Technology

At The Grange Academy, we actively celebrate Design and Technology across the school:

• Showcasing Projects: Pupils’ work is displayed in classrooms and corridors, celebrating creativity and inspiring peers.
• Enrichment Activities: Special events such as STEM days, sustainability-focused projects, and whole-school design challenges provide pupils with additional opportunities to apply their skills.
• Cross-Curricular Links: Design and Technology is integrated into other subjects, such as science, maths, and geography, enhancing pupils’ learning experiences.
• Community Engagement: Pupils participate in initiatives such as designing for local community events or creating sustainable projects to raise awareness of environmental issues.

 

Supporting Sustainability

Our curriculum promotes environmentally conscious practices, encouraging pupils to consider the sustainability of materials and processes in their designs. Through projects that emphasise recycling, upcycling, and reducing waste, pupils develop an understanding of their role in protecting the planet.

 

Impact

At The Grange Academy, the impact of our Design and Technology curriculum is evident in the confident, creative, and innovative learners we develop. By engaging with a structured, progressive, and hands-on curriculum, pupils gain the skills, knowledge, and mindset to solve real-world problems and contribute meaningfully to the world around them.

 

Expected Outcomes for Pupils

Through our Design and Technology curriculum, pupils will:

• Demonstrate practical skills and technical knowledge: Pupils confidently design, create, and evaluate products using a variety of tools, materials, and techniques across the six key areas of the curriculum.
• Think critically and innovatively: Pupils approach challenges with creativity and resilience, developing solutions that meet the needs of others while reflecting on how to improve their work.
• Understand the design process: Pupils master the iterative cycle of design, make, and evaluate, applying their knowledge to respond to real-world design briefs.
• Appreciate sustainability and ethics: Pupils make environmentally conscious decisions, understanding the importance of sustainable practices in design and technology.
• Gain cultural and historical understanding: Pupils explore the contextual and historical significance of design, recognising its impact on society and its potential to shape the future.

 

Assessment of Impact

The impact of our curriculum is assessed through a combination of formative and summative approaches:

• Formative Assessment: Teachers monitor pupils’ progress during lessons through observations, discussions, and evaluation of practical work.
• Summative Assessment: End-of-unit evaluations, including product outcomes and written or verbal reflections, demonstrate pupils’ understanding and application of skills and knowledge.
• Progress Tracking: Teachers input termly assessments into Arbor, ensuring pupils’ progress is tracked across all key areas of the curriculum.
• Pupil Voice: Regular opportunities for pupils to discuss their experiences and share their reflections provide insight into their enjoyment, confidence, and understanding of the subject.

 

Evidence of Impact

The success of our Design and Technology curriculum is reflected in:

• High-Quality Outcomes: Pupils produce innovative, functional, and purposeful products that showcase their progression in skills and creativity.
• Engaged and Enthusiastic Learners: Pupils actively participate in lessons and demonstrate pride in their work, whether through displays, presentations, or enrichment activities.
• Confident Designers: Pupils articulate their design choices and evaluate their products using subject-specific vocabulary, demonstrating a clear understanding of the design process.
• Preparedness for the Future: Pupils leave with the technical and creative skills to excel in future design and technology studies, as well as the ability to apply these skills to everyday challenges.

 

Wider Impact

Beyond the classroom, our Design and Technology curriculum supports pupils’ development as resourceful, reflective, and enterprising individuals who:

• Collaborate effectively: Pupils learn to work as part of a team, sharing ideas and solving problems together.
• Think globally and sustainably: Pupils understand the importance of sustainable practices and consider how design can positively impact communities and the environment.
• Build resilience and adaptability: Pupils embrace challenges and view mistakes as opportunities for growth, developing a growth mindset that serves them in all areas of life.

 

Preparing for the Future

By the time pupils leave The Grange Academy, they will:

• Be confident in their ability to engage with design and technology, equipped with the skills to innovate and create.
• Have a strong understanding of the importance of sustainability and ethical design.
• Be ready to apply their knowledge and creativity to real-world challenges, contributing meaningfully to society as resourceful and innovative citizens.

Through our Design and Technology curriculum, pupils are not only prepared for the next stage of their education but are inspired to see the potential of design to shape the future.