Our Design and Technology curriculum enables pupils to contribute to the creativity, culture, and well-being of themselves, our community, and nation.

Our curriculum covers the breadth of the National Curriculum and supports pupils in taking risks to become resourceful, innovative, enterprising, and capable citizens. 

 

Design and Technology at our school prepares students to take part in the development of today’s rapidly changing world. Creative thinking encourages our children to make positive changes to their quality of life. We strive for pupils to become autonomous and creative problem-solvers, both as individuals and as part of a team.

Through the study of design and technology, we provide opportunities for children to 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. Design and Technology helps all children to become informed consumers and potential innovators.   We live in a technological age, surrounded by artefacts and systems which have been produced, designed, and made for us by other humans working together in a complex range of activities. We want to inspire our children to be part of the future.
 

 

The strands of knowledge that run through our curriculum are …

• Structures

• Mechanisms including sliders, levers, pulleys, axles and wheels

• Food

• Electrical systems

• Textiles

These strands provide our children with a vast range of knowledge and skills in which they can apply into everyday life and learning. Food technology plays an important role in our curriculum at Coop Academy Portland as it helps children to develop an understanding of where food comes from and the importance of nutrition on our health. It also aims to inform pupils about methods of food production and food processing in domestic and commercial situations. Our curriculum also encourages an awareness of social, economic and cultural aspects of food choice and the importance this plays in society.

In EYFS, design and technology form part of the learning children acquire under the ‘Understanding the World’ branch of the Foundation Stage curriculum, which also covers geography, history, ICT, and science. Through first-hand experiences, children are encouraged to explore, observe, solve problems, think critically, make decisions and to talk about why they have made their decisions. Our youngest learners do this by constructing, exploring food and using different materials to build structures. They move from EYFS to KS1 with a secure knowledge of manipulating and joining materials for a purpose, including through cutting and sticking.

 

    The Design and Technology subject lead is Mr Ogilvie.