Design and Technology (DT)
At Little Mead Primary Academy, we aim to give pupils a solid foundation and broad experience of 'designing', 'making' and 'evaluating' through a variety of media and materials.
KS1 & KS2 Design & Technology
In KS1 and KS2, our children study DT using the KAPOW scheme of work. The KAPOW DT curriculum fulfils and exceeds the statutory requirements for DT outlined in the national curriculum.
There are six key areas within the KAPOW DT curriculum which are revisited each year (with Electrical systems and Digital world beginning in KS2):
- Cooking and nutrition: Where food comes from, balanced diet, preparation and cooking skills, kitchen hygiene and safety, following recipes.
- Mechanisms and mechanical systems: Mimic natural movements using mechanisms such as cams, followers, levers and sliders.
- Structures: Material functional and aesthetic properties, strength and stability, stiffen and reinforce structures.
- Textiles: Fastening, sewing, decorative and functional fabric techniques including cross stitch, blanket stitch and appliqué.
- Electrical systems: Operational series circuits, circuit components, circuit diagrams and symbols, combined to create various electrical products.
- Digital world: Program products to monitor and control, develop designs and virtual models using 2D and 3D CAD software.
Within the six key areas, there are three overarching strands which run throughout each unit:
- Design, in which the children: Research, generate and develop ideas, create models and prototypes (both virtual and physical), explore cross-sectional and exploded diagrams and nnovative, fit-for-purpose product solutions to design problems.
- Make, in which the children: Select and use appropriate tools and equipment, understand and select materials and components (including ingredients) based on their aesthetic and functional properties, carry out practical tasks with increasing accuracy and precision and understand the importance of, and follow health and safety rules.
- Evaluate, in which the children: Explore existing products, evaluate against a list of design criteria, evaluate, investigate and analyse existing products, evaluate their own and others’ ideas, understand how key events and individuals have
- Helped to shape the world of D&T and consider feedback to make improvements
Through using KAPOW DT, we aim 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.
- Build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users.
- Critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others.
- Understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.
KS1 & KS2 Design Technology - Curriculum Overview
You can explore the KAPOW DT curriculum further using the following link: https://www.kapowprimary.com
