Welcome to Northcote’s Design and Technology Page!
At Northcote Primary, we believe that D&T lessons can provide children with opportunities to develop lifelong skills. If you have any questions about D&T then ask your class teacher or see Mrs McMullen (the D&T coordinator). Design, Make, Evaluate is the teaching and learning process that we follow. It is our aim that children are fully engaged in DT lessons and make progress through a set of skills as they move through their primary school education.
On this page, you will find the D&T policy; a breakdown of the Whole School Plan; as well as a few examples of the fantastic D&T lessons across the school.
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Our curriculum
Our Northcote Curriculum is designed with the intent to maximise the potential of all of our pupils; intellectually, socially, morally, emotionally and culturally. We take every opportunity to encourage a love for learning within all of our pupils, based around a resilience for learning and achieving greatness. Most importantly we allow our children to learn in a safe and stimulating environment, where their views are valued.
Implementation – D&T is delivered as part of our Citizens of the world Curriculum.
D&T is taught through discrete, meaningful lessons in which, children are taught through the three phases of designing, making and evaluating their own products. Each year group focuses on 3 topics throughout the year and each topic will focus on a separate set of skills. As children progress through the school, they are presented with opportunities to develop these skills, as similar topics are revisited and built upon. We follow the Projects on a Page scheme of work, which allows the teachers to be creative with their lessons, whilst still ensuring all aspects of the National Curriculum are covered. All staff have participated in training on delivering Projects on a Page and further D&T continued professional is always on offer for staff should they feel further support is needed. Our school works in collaboration with 6 other local schools; here the subject leaders meet and discuss aspects of the D&T curriculum, sharing good practice and ideas for purposeful teaching and learning.
At Northcote, we split the terms between D&T and Art, with subjects alternating each half term. The time dedicated to D&T ensures that each topic can be delivered to a high standard and children can create important and useful products. Resources are plentiful and allow children to be clever and creative when designing and making their products. Each class has a well-trained Learning Support Assistant (LSA) who is able to support children of all abilities during D&T lessons. All children are challenged during D&T lessons through continuous verbal feedback and through problems presented to them.
During D&T lessons, many cross-curricular links are observed. Maths links are easy to come across during any D&T lesson; children are continuously measuring during the ‘design’ and ‘make’ phases of lessons. During cooking topics, children are measuring out ingredients, as well as calculating the quantities of different recipes. Instructions are often created as part of the ‘design’ phase, which has a direct link to English. Through the children presenting their products confidently oracy skills are practiced. Science knowledge is practiced when children are creating products that contain electrical components, for example Year 4 children use their knowledge of electrical circuits to create nightlights/torches. Teachers also encourage children to consider the impact their product can have on the wider world, to ensure they realise the difference they may make in the future.
Impact –
Each topic ends with all children creating a final product; these products are a fantastic way for children to demonstrate the skills they have learnt. Throughout the school, children are given the opportunity to consolidate their skills by creating their final product independently. Each lesson builds on the previous and children’s skills are improved upon throughout each topic. It is also clear to see the progression of skills throughout the school through the quality of products each year group creates. Subject and school leaders monitor the impact of our curriculum provision through completing regular monitoring, that includes listening to the voice of our children.
Northcote Design and Technology Policy:
DT-Policy
Northcote Design and Technology Long-term plan:
Long term planning overview D&T
Cookery
Here are some of the recipes we have enjoyed over the years:
Year 2: Flapjack
Year 4: Chicken noodle soup, Chow mein, Sweet and sour, Spring rolls
Chicken noodle soup Chow mein Spring rolls
Year 5: Coconut curry, Naan bread, Bhajis & Raita
Naan bread Onion bhajis Raita Coconut chicken curry
Year 6: Ramen, Spring rolls, Sushi & Takikomi gohan
Sushi Sweet and sour Takikomi Gohan – Japanese rice Japanese chicken ramen