Design Technology

Intent

At Thomas A Becket Infant School, we believe that Design and Technology provides children with exciting opportunities to explore, imagine, create and solve problems. Through practical, hands-on experiences, we encourage children to be curious about how things work and to develop the confidence to turn their own ideas into something they can make, test and improve.

Design and Technology begins with exploration. From the Early Years onwards, children are given opportunities to investigate materials, tools and techniques, experiment with their ideas and discover what works well. As they move through the school, they develop their ability to think creatively and purposefully, designing and making products with a clear purpose and intended user in mind.

By the time children leave Thomas A Becket Infant School, we want them to have developed a secure foundation in the knowledge and practical skills they will need to continue their Design and Technology journey. They will have experienced working with a range of materials, structures and mechanisms, as well as learning about food, healthy eating and where food comes from. Most importantly, we want them to see themselves as confident young designers and problem-solvers who are willing to explore ideas, work collaboratively and learn from the process of making.

Our Design and Technology curriculum develops progressively from the Early Years to Year 2 and is enriched through meaningful links with other areas of learning, as well as opportunities within continuous provision and outdoor learning.

Implementation

At Thomas A Becket Infant School, children experience Design and Technology as a practical and purposeful part of their learning. We provide regular opportunities for children to explore materials, investigate how things work, develop ideas and create products of their own. Children learn through doing, with opportunities to build, join, cut, shape, cook, test and adapt as they develop their understanding and skills.

Our Design and Technology learning is closely connected to our curriculum themes and children's own experiences, helping them to understand why they are designing and making something. Children investigate their school playground before creating their own playground models, explore mechanisms before making a moving picture, or use their outdoor experiences to inspire a design. This gives children a meaningful starting point and encourages them to use their own ideas and imagination.

Key knowledge and vocabulary are introduced through our lessons and supported by knowledge organisers, helping children to understand and remember the important learning within each unit. Teachers model practical skills and provide appropriate support, while encouraging children to make choices, solve problems and increasingly take ownership of their ideas.

A distinctive feature of DT at Thomas A Becket Infant School is that learning continues beyond the classroom lesson. Skills and ideas are revisited through our Continuous Provision, allowing children to practise, explore and apply their learning independently. Our Outdoor Learning and Forest School experiences provide further opportunities for children to design, construct, experiment and collaborate.

Through this approach, children develop practical skills alongside creativity, resilience, communication and the confidence to have a go, make mistakes, try again and be proud of what they create.

Impact

By the time children leave Thomas A Becket Infant School, they will have developed the knowledge, practical skills, confidence and independence to explore, design, make and evaluate with increasing maturity. They will have built a strong foundation in the Design and Technology knowledge and skills outlined within the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 curriculum, ready to continue their learning in KS2.

Children will be able to talk about what they have designed and made, explain its purpose and describe the materials, tools and processes they have used. They will use an increasingly broad range of Design and Technology vocabulary and be able to share their ideas, plans and evaluations. Through pupil voice, children's work and practical observations, we will see clear progression in their ability to select and use tools and materials, carry out practical skills such as cutting, joining, folding, shaping and moulding, and use simple mechanisms and food preparation techniques with growing confidence and independence.

Most importantly, children will become increasingly independent in their approach to Design and Technology. We want to see children making their own choices, selecting appropriate resources, attempting tasks for themselves, solving problems and knowing when they need to adapt or seek help. They will develop the resilience to persevere when things do not go to plan and the confidence to try again. Children will take pride in what they create, recognise their achievements and understand that designing and making is a process of thinking, trying, improving and learning.