Using Creativity to Solve Problems, Challenge Thinking and Make Life Better
At Mill Lane, we encourage children to use their creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. We encourage children to think and intervene creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team. We aim to, wherever possible, link work to other curriculum areas such as mathematics, science, history, engineering, computing and art. We believe that putting people first is at the heart of successful design.
Children learn to take risks, be reflective, innovative, enterprising and resilient. Through the evaluation of the past and present technology they can reflect upon the impact of Design Technology on everyday life and the wider world.
Design Technology in Practice
At the heart of all design & technology learning and teaching is the key process of Designing, Making and Evaluating. Each of these three disciplines carries equal weight in supporting the development of our young design & technology pioneers. Alongside this comes the acquisition of technical skills and knowledge, including learning about cooking and nutrition.
At Mill Lane, our design & technology units are carefully planned to progressively build both skills and knowledge as the children progress through their time at school. Projects are linked to topic work, providing relevance and excitement. Often, ideas begin as challenges - for example, building a raft to cross the Amazon river, or an alarm to protect a priceless artefact. From experience, we know that children need to experiment with models and mock-ups created with their own ingenuity as part of the design process. They learn from first-hand experience what does and doesn't work and can then filter these ideas into informed designs. Children also are encouraged to learn from the work of famous designers and the products they create.
We hope that children will develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
As they move through the school, children will build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users. They will learn to critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products as well as the work of others.
Children will learn to understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook. Children will design and make a range of products. A good quality finish will be expected in all design and activities made appropriate to the age and ability of the child.
The Impact of a Quality Design & Technology Curriculum
The teaching of Design & Technology supports the social development of our children. Groupings allow children to work together and give them the chance to discuss their ideas and feelings about their own work and the work of others. Through their collaborative and co-operative work across a range of activities and experiences in design and technology, the children develop respect for the abilities of other children and a better understanding of themselves. They also develop a respect for the environment, for their own health and safety and for that of others. They develop their cultural awareness and understanding, and they learn to appreciate the value of differences and similarities. A variety of experiences teaches them to appreciate that all people are equally important, and that the needs of individuals are not the same as the needs of groups.
