The Impact of the Gawber Design and Technology Curriculum

By the time children leave Gawber Primary School, they will have acquired the skills necessary to enable them to engage effectively in the process of designing and making. They will have experienced a variety of topics through creative and practical activities and will understand the relevance of their work, both in relation to the local community, home and wider environment. Examples  of this include Year 6 designing and making a shop front to fit in with the recent developments in Barnsley town centre.

Design

Gawber children understand the design process and the factors that influence their products. Children can design purposeful, functional and appealing products for themselves and others, taking into account design criteria. Children can conduct their own research and use their findings to influence their design. Children can communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, templates, mock ups and where appropriate information and communication technology. Children can create annotated sketches, cross sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer aided design.  

Make

Gawber children have the opportunity to explore a variety of equipment and tools, enabling them to select appropriately to perform practical tasks such as cutting, shaping, joining and finishing accurately. Children can select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients according to their characteristics, functional properties and aesthetic qualities.

Evaluate

Gawber children understand how their designs and products can be improved and are able to do so using their own evaluation, evaluation against design criteria and that of their peers. Children can explore and evaluate a range of existing products and as well as their own. Children understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world we live in. Children in key stage 2 are able to identify how the skills they learn could help them in future careers. (Pupil interviews February 2024).

Technical Knowledge

Gawber children can use technical vocabulary to explore and explain how more complex structures can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable. Children have the opportunity to explore and use mechanisms such as levers, siders, wheels and axles, gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages in their products. Children understand and use electrical systems in their products, for example, series circuits, incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors.

Cooking and Nutrition

Gawber children can apply the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare and cook dishes using a range of cooking techniques. Children understand seasonality and where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.

Curriculum design at Gawber enables many cross curricular links that further embed and revisit the concepts taught as part of Design and Technology.