Design Technology - Kapow
INTENT
At Otterham C P School we follow the Kapow Design Technology scheme of work over a rolling two-year programme. The scheme aims to inspire pupils to be innovative and creative thinkers who have an appreciation for the product design cycle through the formation of ideas, creation and evaluation. Pupils have the opportunity to develop the confidence to take risks, through drafting design concepts, modelling and testing and to be reflective learners who evaluate their work and the work of others. We aim to build an awareness of the impact of design and technology on our lives and encourage pupils to become resourceful, enterprising citizens who will have the skills to contribute to future design advancements.
IMPLEMENTATION
The Design and Technology National Curriculum outlines the three main stages of the design process: design, make and evaluate. Each stage of the design process is underpinned by technical knowledge which encompasses the contextual, historical and technical understanding required for each strand. Cooking and nutrition have a separate section, with a focus on specific principles, skills and techniques in food, including where food comes from, diet and seasonality.
The National Curriculum organises the Design and Technology attainment targets under four subheadings: Design, Make, Evaluate and Technical knowledge. These subheadings correspond to the Kapow Primary Design and Technology strands:
- Design
- Make
- Evaluate
- Technical knowledge
The scheme has a clear progression of skills and knowledge throughout these strands.
Six Key Areas:
- Cooking and nutrition
- Mechanisms/Mechanical systems
- Structures
- Textiles
- Electrical systems (KS2 only)
- Digital world (KS2 only)
Cooking and nutrition have been given a particular focus in the National Curriculum and we have made this one of our six key areas that pupils revisit throughout their time in primary school.
Pupils respond to design briefs and scenarios that require consideration of the needs of others, developing their skills in the six key areas. Each of the key areas follows the design process (design, make and evaluate) and has a particular theme and focus from the technical knowledge of cooking and nutrition section of the curriculum. The Kapow Primary scheme is a spiral curriculum, with key areas revisited again and again with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revisit and build on their previous learning.
Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work including practical hands-on, computer-based and inventive tasks. This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with a variety of learning styles. Differentiated guidance is available for every lesson to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are available when required.
Knowledge organisers for each unit support pupils in building a foundation of factual knowledge by encouraging recall of key facts and vocabulary. Strong subject knowledge is vital for staff to be able to deliver a highly effective and robust Design and Technology Curriculum. Each unit of lessons includes multiple teacher videos to develop subject knowledge and support ongoing CPD.
IMPACT
The impact of Kapow Primary’s scheme can be constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Each lesson includes guidance to support teachers in assessing pupils against the learning objectives. Furthermore, each unit has a unit quiz and knowledge catcher which can be used at the start and/or end of the unit.
After the implementation of Kapow Primary Design and Technology, pupils should leave school equipped and be innovative and resourceful members of society.
The expected impact of following the Kapow Primary Design and Technology scheme of work is that children will:
- Understand the functional and aesthetic properties of a range of materials and resources
- Understand how to use and combine tools to carry out different processes for shaping, decorating and manufacturing products
- Build and apply a repertoire of skills, knowledge and understanding to produce high quality, innovative outcomes, including models, prototypes, computer aided design (CAD) and products to fulfil the needs of users, clients and scenarios.
- Understand and apply the principles of healthy eating, diets and recipes, including key processes, food groups and cooking equipment
- Have an appreciation for key individuals, inventions and events in history and of today that impact our world
- Recognise where our decisions can impact the wider world in terms of community, social and environmental issues
- Self-evaluate and reflect on learning at different stages and identify areas to improve
- Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National Curriculum for Design and Technology
- Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National Curriculum for Computing