"The path from dreams to success does exist."

"May you have the vision to find it, the courage to get on it, and the perseverance to follow it."  Kalpana Chawla

(Astronaut and Engineer- The first woman of Indian origin to go to space.)

Lead Engineer: Gareth Jones

Intent:

Our intent at CCI is to enable the children to be engineers and use their creativity and imagination, to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. ‘Being an engineer’ is integrated into our curriculum through Curious-city - An enquiry-led, local learning approach to the National Curriculum 2014. Through this approach we aim to make meaningful links to other states of being such as being a mathematician, scientist or artist. We want the children to become innovators and risk-takers as they work to create products for the future through the process of practice and refining their designs.

Aims 

The national curriculum for Design and technology aims to ensure that all pupils:

• 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 a repertoire of 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 ideas and products and the work of others
• understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.

Implementation:

Through a range of specifically designed cross-curricular enquires, learners are challenged to work independently to prove their understanding of the key concepts associated with being an engineer. This is achieved through well-structured, progressive year group planning that covers the four main areas of design and technology; Design, Make, Evaluate and Technical knowledge. This will be taught in a sequence of experiences that may be one lesson a week but is more likely to be spread throughout an enquiry. Through these experiences, the work of a diverse range of engineers will be explored to enhance the children's learning and expose them to the very best of what has been said and done in relation to design and technology.

Where does 'Being an Engineer' feature in our CCI Enquiries?

Impact:

Design and technology is planned carefully to ensure progression of skills and knowledge throughout the school. We assess the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

• Work in challenge books
• Work displayed in enquiry floor books.
• Photographs and videos of children’s work
• Displays of children's work
• Children’s voice surveys
• Thorough planning that has clear WALT’s and skills being taught
• Planning scrutiny
• Specific subject assessments every other term
• Subject knowledge quizzes

When do we assess and how is the data used?

We use teacher judgement to assess at the end of each enquiry, where the main state or supporting state of being is an engineer, how well a child has mastered the objectives that have been covered. This information is recorded and added to our assessment system three times a year. This information is also used to monitor subject coverage and plan next steps. We feedback to parent and carers about their child as an engineer in a written report three times a year.

Photos of our engineers and their projects: