Design and Technology Curriculum Rationale
At Rosebrook Primary School, our Design and Technology curriculum is designed to inspire and empower our pupils to become creative, innovative, and confident problem-solvers. We believe that by engaging our pupils in a range of practical, hands-on activities, we can nurture their natural curiosity, develop their technical skills, and foster a lifelong appreciation for the designed world around them.
Our curriculum aligns closely with the National Curriculum for Design and Technology, which aims to ensure that all pupils “develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.” We have carefully crafted our curriculum to build on this foundation, incorporating additional elements that are tailored to the unique needs and interests of our school community.
Given the high levels of deprivation in our local area, as evidenced by the IDACI report, we recognise the importance of providing our pupils with opportunities to explore design and technology in meaningful, real-world contexts. Our curriculum places a strong emphasis on investigating and understanding the design and manufacturing processes that underpin the products and technologies prevalent in the North East, such as those used in the engineering, construction, and food industries. By doing so, we aim to broaden our pupils’ horizons, challenge their preconceptions, and inspire them to consider future careers in these fields.
Furthermore, we have made a concerted effort to incorporate the work of local inventors and designers, particularly female role models, into our curriculum. This not only helps to address the gender imbalance often seen in STEM-related subjects but also serves to instil a sense of pride and belonging within our school community, as our pupils recognise the innovative contributions of people from their own region.
Developing our pupils’ critical thinking and evaluation skills is another key priority within our Design and Technology curriculum. We believe that by teaching them to critique and analyse their own designs and products, as well as those of others, we can empower them to become discerning consumers and confident, self-directed learners. This aligns closely with our school’s focus on improving reading comprehension standards and developing oracy skills across the curriculum.
Finally, we have placed a strong emphasis on food technology within our Design and Technology curriculum. By teaching our pupils about the origins of food, the principles of nutrition, and a range of cooking techniques, we aim to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed, healthy choices about the food they consume. This not only supports our school’s wider efforts to address the gap in pupil premium attainment but also contributes to the personal development of our pupils, helping them to become responsible, health-conscious citizens.
Whole School Aims
Our Design and Technology curriculum is fully aligned with the school’s overarching vision and values, which are embodied in our DREAM core values: Determination, Respect, Enthusiasm, Ambition, and Growth Mindset. By engaging our pupils in the design, creation, and evaluation of meaningful products, we aim to foster the development of these essential personal qualities, empowering them to become the “stars in the making” envisioned by our Multi-Academy Trust.
Furthermore, our Design and Technology curriculum directly supports the school’s mission to “remove barriers and shatter the glass ceiling, ensuring that our entire school community thrives.” By providing our pupils with opportunities to explore and excel in this subject, we are actively working to challenge stereotypes, broaden their horizons, and instil a sense of confidence and self-belief that will serve them well both in and beyond the classroom.
Subject Vision
At Rosebrook Primary School, we believe that Design and Technology is a vital component of a well-rounded, enriching education. Through this subject, we aim to nurture our pupils’ natural creativity and problem-solving abilities, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to design, create, and evaluate products that are meaningful to their lives now and in the future.
By emphasising the practical, hands-on nature of Design and Technology, we seek to engage and inspire our pupils, fostering a love of learning that extends beyond the confines of the classroom. Moreover, by grounding our curriculum in the realities of the local design and manufacturing landscape, we aim to empower our pupils to see themselves as active participants in the technological world around them, rather than passive consumers.
Ultimately, our vision for Design and Technology is to develop well-rounded, confident individuals who are not only skilled in the practical aspects of the subject but also possess the critical thinking and evaluation skills needed to become discerning, responsible citizens. This aligns closely with the school’s improvement priorities, particularly in the areas of reading comprehension, oracy, and personal development.
Communication with Stakeholders
To ensure the successful implementation of our Design and Technology curriculum, we will employ a range of strategies to effectively communicate our rationale and vision to all stakeholders, including parents, carers, and the wider community.
Firstly, we will update our school website to include a dedicated section on our Design and Technology curriculum, outlining its key aims, content, and links to the National Curriculum. This will serve as a readily accessible resource for parents and carers, allowing them to understand the importance of the subject and how they can support their child’s learning at home.
Additionally, we will share curriculum information sessions, providing opportunities for parents and carers to engage with our Design and Technology teachers, ask questions, and gain a deeper understanding of the subject’s role within our school’s overall educational offering. These events will also be used to showcase pupil work and highlight the real-world applications of the skills and knowledge being developed.
To further strengthen our communication with stakeholders, we will leverage our existing channels, such as the school newsletter, social media platforms, and parent-teacher meetings, to regularly share updates, celebrate pupil successes, and highlight the ways in which our Design and Technology curriculum is supporting the school’s improvement priorities.
Finally, we will explore opportunities to engage with the local community, such as inviting industry professionals to deliver workshops or showcasing our pupils’ design and technology projects at community events. This will not only raise the profile of the subject within our school but also help to forge meaningful connections between our pupils and the world beyond the classroom.
Addressing Inspection Feedback
The curriculum rationale outlined above directly addresses the key areas for improvement identified in the most recent Ofsted inspection report.
Firstly, the strong emphasis placed on building pupils’ knowledge and skills in foundation subjects, such as Design and Technology, will help to address the inspectors’ concern that “in foundation subjects such as geography and science, schemes of work lack precision in some key concepts.” By ensuring that our Design and Technology curriculum is carefully sequenced and that teachers are supported in effectively building pupils’ understanding, we can help to address this issue across the school.
Furthermore, the focus on developing pupils’ critical thinking and evaluation skills, particularly in relation to the design and manufacture of products, aligns with the inspectors’ recommendation that “curriculum leaders need to check how effectively teachers are building pupils’ knowledge and skills for all aspects of foundation subjects, so that pupils learn more and remember more.”
Finally, the integration of personal development within our Design and Technology curriculum, including a focus on helping pupils to understand local risks and develop the necessary skills to deal with them, directly responds to the inspectors’ observation that “leaders need to make sure that the very recently introduced scheme of work for pupils’ personal development is implemented across the school.”
By addressing these key areas for improvement through our Design and Technology curriculum, we are confident that we can continue to enhance the quality of education provided at Rosebrook Primary School, ensuring that our pupils are well-equipped to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world.