At Heartwood the curriculum develops and deepens children’s skills and knowledge in design and technology. Our progression map ensures that skills are taught progressively to ensure that all children are able to learn and develop as they move from Nursery through to Year 6.

The Heartwood D.T curriculum is influenced by a professionally created scheme to teach our design and technology called Kapow, which is adapted to ensure that all pupils thrive in this subject. Our children build on prior learning and are challenged through a diverse art curriculum. This is taught through 5 main areas:

- Cooking and nutrition 

- Mechanisms/ mechanical systems

- Structures

- Textiles

- Electrical systems

- digital world

The Design and technology national curriculum outlines the three main stages of the design process: design, make and evaluate. Each Kapow Primary unit follows these stages, to form a full project. Each stage of the design process is underpinned by technical knowledge which encompasses the contextual, historical and technical understanding, required for each strand.

Hygge 

As part of our schools Hygge approach, we nurture the children’s creativity and imagination and encourage them to design and make products using the knowledge they have acquired. The children are taught to consider the function and purpose of the product and take account of their own and others’ needs, wants and values. We aim to make cross-curricular links, wherever possible, to give meaning and purpose to the teaching and learning. The children are given opportunities to reflect and evaluate their designs, allowing them to adapt and improve their products, taking risks and becoming innovators.

Children are taught how to cook and apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating to the food they prepare. We aim to create a  love of cooking and allow children the chance to express themselves creatively. At Heartwood we value ‘family time’ and teach the  children about the importance of having time to share food together with family and friends. We value the fact that learning how to cook is an important and fundamental life skill.

Design and technology at Heartwood, offers opportunities for children to:

• develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
• build and apply the knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users.
• critique, evaluate and test their designs and products as well as the work of others.
• learn to cook different products and apply the principles of healthy eating and nutrition.
• value the importance of meal times and share food with family and friends at school and home.
• develop the life skill to cook and feed themselves and others.
• learn how to take risks and become creative, resourceful and innovative designers. 
• develop an understanding of the impact design and technology has on the wider world.

The Nicholas Hamond Academy

Our curriculum is designed to prepare the children for the next stages in their education in each subject. Our curriculum map plans to support the declarative and procedural knowledge needed for the children to access and thrive in DT in KS3.

TNHA DT Curriculum Plan KS3

TNHA DT Curriculum Plan KS4

Cooking, nutrition, food, meals, health and community

Influenced by the Swedish approach and curriculum, preparing and organising the preparation of meals is planned throughout our children's education at Heartwood. 

In addition to the National curriculum, children are taught:

• How to plan and organise the preparation of meals of home-life
• About tools and equipment that can be used for baking and food preparation and how these are used in safe way
• Different methods of baking and cooking
• Recipes, instructions, how they can be interpreted and followed, as well as common words and terms for baking and preparation
• Hygiene and cleaning when handling, preparing and storing food
• Different tools to support planning of varied and balanced meals, and also how meals can be distributed over a day
• Importance of meals for a sense of community 
• Different traditions in food, such as celebrations of special occasions

Through D.T our children researched, designed and created Christmas decorations for our community Christmas fair.

Toast, Talk and Tales

When children arrive in the morning they prepare their own toast from fresh bread delivered from the local bakery Wellbreads. The children take responsibility for spreading, cutting and washing up their plates and knives. This is set up in a serene atmosphere where the children can socialise and talk with their peers and adults, very much a recreation of a family breakfast experience. Here are some of our Reception children making their toast and washing up afterwards.

Heartwood Woodwork Hut 

We are delighted to have a fully trained woodwork teacher, who leads both curricular and extra-curricular sessions with our children. The sessions are aimed at years 1-4 and are held in the Heartwood Woodwork Hut.

In EYFS we begin to explore building and designing with a range of woodwork materials during continuous provision.

We are proud to be members of the D&T Association. 

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