"Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works."

Steve Jobs

Design and Technology is an inspirational and practical subject that is becoming increasingly technical, incorporating mathematics, science and computing with creativity. It is about making things that appeal to others and work well. 

At Churchfield, Design and Technology encourages children to become autonomous and creative problem-solvers by identifying needs and responding by designing and developing ideas and eventually making products. Pupils combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues, as well as functions and industrial practices. This allows them to reflect on and evaluate present and past design and technology, its uses and its impacts. 

We ensure that Design and Technology links directly to the topics being taught allowing the children to have a proper sense of purpose; learning always becomes more meaningful when set in a tangible context.  Lessons are exciting, inventive and engaging. We give children the opportunity to work both on their own and to collaborate with others, listening to other children’s ideas respectfully. Children critically evaluate existing products, their own work and that of others. They have the opportunity to exploring different techniques and developing essential skills in manipulating and securing various materials including paper, woodwork, food, textiles, electrical components and computing software. 

At Churchfield, we ensure that children can apply their knowledge and understanding when developing and researching ideas, designing and making products and finally evaluating them. We promote an iterative approach to design so that children are in control of their decision making in creating their final outcomes. 

We plan the activities in design and technology so that they build upon the prior learning of the children. We give children of all abilities the opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding and we also build planned progression into the scheme of work, so that the children are increasingly challenged as they move through the school. 

Pupils record ideas, designs and skills in their book, which are then used to track the progress and record the achievements of pupil’s experiences in design and technology. 

Design and Technology and SEND

Design and Technology is a valuable subject for those children at Churchfield who have SEND. The children are able to explore their creativity through the use of different mediums from cardboard to clay. They are encouraged to explore a number of different techniques which also help to refine their fine and gross motor skills. Teachers and support staff ensure that there are scaffolds for children’s individual needs and that all their learning is differentiated to meet the needs of different learners. Children take ownership of their learning through choice of resources and are encourage to design, create and evaluate their own work as individuals and as part of group and whole school projects