Design Technology

At St Charles we aim to inspire children through design and technology to become independent, creative problem-solvers. Through the study of design & technology, children combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues, as well as functional practices. This allows them to reflect on and evaluate present and past design & technology assessing its use and impact on the world.

Technology is concerned with understanding, harnessing and controlling our environment. Children are required to play an increasing role in the development of new technology – drawing on human knowledge and resources to make things work.

In our school we endeavour to involve children in the techniques of design:-

• Identifying needs and opportunities
• Generating a design proposal
• Planning and making
• Evaluating, refining and planning for future action

Technology is about the development of problem-solving skills which are relevant across the whole curriculum. In their Technology activities we encourage children to apply their knowledge and previous experience, and to develop their individual expertise/flair and imagination as well as questioning their skills and strategies in order to perfect them.

As well as making artefacts (models) the children create systems and environments:

• A ‘system’ comprises more than one part. e.g. a ‘pop-up’ greetings card, a drawbridge with lever action etc.
• An ‘environment’ is concerned with creating surroundings . e.g. a dream playground, a Tudor harbour etc.

Our school has a comprehensive range of Technology resources (e.g. construction kits, tools, materials and reference books) to meet the wide variety of needs of the design process and to ensure progression of skills across the age-range.