Design Technology and Art and Design

Design Technology

The design technology curriculum at Mill Lane encourages resilience, problem solving and creativity. Children are engaged in the whole design process, from researching and designing, through to making, evaluating and modifying their products. Throughout their time at school, all children will be given opportunities to work with an increasingly wide range of materials, including reclaimed materials, resistant materials, food and textiles. Likewise, they will be taught to safely and effectively use an increasing number of tools.

We feel it is important that children of all ages are provided with opportunities to design and make real products for real purposes; for example, making products to sell at our Christmas Fair, or making props and costumes for school stage productions. At Mill Lane we have a history of exciting food technology projects. As well as our popular Year 5 and 6 Let’s Get Cooking club, we have a tradition of ending our Year 6 children’s time at school with a large scale cooking event. In recent years this has included Scottish and Italian themed three course meals, in which the children have worked together to prepare, cook and present all of the food, as well as learning how to set and wait on tables. Last year they prepared a lovely tradition English afternoon tea.

Art and Design

Our art and design curriculum engages children in a variety of different activities, practical work, critical reflection and discussion, writing and planning. Throughout their time at school, children will gain experience in using a variety of media and techniques, including sculpture, painting, drawing, printing and collage, as well as digital media. At Mill Lane, we appreciate that art should be as much about a process or journey as it is a finished product. We value the tactile and therapeutic qualities of art, whilst at the same time equipping the children with the skills and confidence needed to achieve the best finish they can. For example, children are taught to draw carefully from observation, and to manipulate a wide variety of materials in their work. In addition to taught lessons, in Early Years Foundation Stage and Year 1 and Class 7, children have access to art equipment as part of their continuous provision.

Whilst inspiration for artwork often comes from our cross curricular topics, children also learn about the work of famous artists and makers. Here they are encouraged to ask questions and respond to the work of others, in order to develop their understanding of visual language.

For more information, please go to long term plans.