At St Agnes’ Catholic Primary School, we are designers. We develop..

• Our creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
• Our ability to 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.
• Our ability to 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.
• Our excellent attitude to learning and independent working and passion for the subject, knowledge of up-to-date technological innovations in materials, products and systems.
• Our ability to use time efficiently and work constructively and productively with others.
• Our thorough knowledge of which tools, equipment and materials to use to make their products.
• Our ability to apply mathematical knowledge.
• Our ability to manage risks exceptionally well to manufacture products safely and hygienically.

KS1

In the autumn term of Year 1, children begin to learn about structures in the project Shade and Shelter before designing and making a shelter. In the spring term project Taxi!, they learn the term ‘mechanism’ and assemble and test wheels and axles. In the summer term, children begin to learn about food sources in the project Chop, Slice and Mash and use simple preparation techniques to create a supermarket sandwich.

In the autumn term of Year 2, children learn more about food in the project Remarkable Recipes, where they find out about food sources, follow recipes and learn simple cooking techniques. In the spring term project Beach Hut, children develop their knowledge of structures further, learning to cut, join and strengthen wood for the first time. In the summer term, children begin to develop their understanding of textiles in Cut, Stitch and Join. They learn to sew a simple running stitch, use pattern pieces and add simple embellishments. They also continue to learn about mechanisms in the project Push and Pull by using sliders, levers and linkages in products.

KS2

In the autumn term of Year 3, children continue to learn about food, understanding the concept of a balanced diet and making healthy meals in the project Cook Well, Eatwell. In the spring term project Making it Move, children extend their understanding of mechanisms by exploring cams and using joining and finishing techniques to make automaton toys. In the summer term project Greenhouse, they continue to develop their knowledge of structures, using triangles and braces for strength. They design and build a greenhouse, using their understanding of opacity and transparency and the needs of plants from science learning to inform their design.

In the autumn term of Year 4, children continue to develop their understanding of food in the project Fresh Food, Good Food. They learn about food safety and preservation technologies before designing and making packaging for a healthy snack. During the spring term project Functional and Fancy Fabrics, children continue to explore textiles, learning about the work of William Morris before designing, embellishing and finishing a fabric sample. In the summer term project Tomb Builders, they build on their knowledge of mechanisms, learning about six simple machines and using their knowledge to create a lifting or moving device prototype. They also explore and use electrical systems and IT monitoring and control in the science project Electrical Circuits and Conductors for the first time.

In the autumn term of Year 5, children deepen their understanding of mechanisms by studying pneumatic systems in the project Moving Mechanisms. They learn about the forces at play and create a prototype for a functional, pneumatic machine. In the spring term project Eat the Seasons, children continue to explore food and nutrition, learning about seasonal foods and the benefits of eating seasonally. In the summer term, they learn more about structures in the project Architecture, studying the history of architecture and developing new ways to create structural strength and stability. They use computer-aided design and consolidate their making skills to produce scale models. They also explore the electrical conductivity of materials before making products incorporating circuits in the science project Properties and Changes of Materials.

In the autumn term of Year 6, children learn about processed and whole foods in the project Food for Life, creating healthy menus from unprocessed foods. In the spring term project Engineer, children consolidate their knowledge of structures, joining and strengthening techniques and electrical systems by completing a bridge-building challenge. In the summer term project Make Do and Mend, they extend their knowledge of textiles by learning new stitches to join fabrics and using pattern pieces to create a range of products.

• Year 3 visit the Kew Gardens Greenhouses and then create their own modern and Victorian models.
• After school cooking club.
• Christmas Crafter-noon for EYFS
• Black History month- Celebration of black artists
• Competitions. E.g. Christmas card competition
• Whole school St Agnes’ Pathways – bi-yearly

• Visuals
• Word and / or picture bank
• Modelling, demonstrating and imitating
• Display key vocabulary
• Chunking learning
• Pre-teaching
• Making connections to previous learning
• Repetition
• Providing variation of tools

Assessment is used to monitor progress and to identify any child needing additional support as soon as they need it.

Assessment for learning is used:

During class lessons to identify if children can accurately use and apply their skills and knowledge.

Summative assessment is used:

Termly to assess skills and knowledge which can include the outcome of the product or development of skills within the unit.