At Sheridan School, we aim to deliver a Design and Technology curriculum that:

• Encourages creativity while keeping students safe, and educating them on how to properly use the tools available to them.

• Builds the confidence of the students who participate in their DT lessons.

• Equips students with actual life skills, further preparing them for their future beyond Sheridan School.

• Allows room for mistakes, because sometimes, especially in practical subjects, there isn’t a “right or wrong” answer, but we want the students of Sheridan School to feel resilient enough to keep on trying.

To ensure that the learning can be accessed by all students who are in DT, we have produced bespoke schemes of work that is appropriate and achievable for every year group, and adaptable to a point that can suit the induvial needs of each student. All this while still allowing space for much needed creative freedom. With the new curriculum, we are introducing a range of new design processes, including textiles and sculpture, while still incorporating woodwork and those all important life skills.

To ensure that all our lessons remain accessible for the students, we regularly evaluate student progress and final projects. While we encourage independence within the subject, students will have continued access to skilled and experienced staff who can guide and support them, thus helping them to become more confident in themselves and their abilities.

Design and Technology staff are to be aware of changes to individual students EHCP’s, risk assessments and IEP’s, which will allow us to fully understand the students needs and how to adapt the classroom or the learning environment for each student.

The impact of our curriculum will show:

• Students that are confident in themselves and their abilities – which will influence the rest of their school careers and beyond.

• Students that can make choices about their work and are Students at Sheridan school will take pride in their work, and know that they have achieved something.

• Students leave Sheridan School prepared for the world beyond our gates with a knowledge of design and technology and are able to recognize how things around them are made.

Design and Technology (DT) is a subject that combines practical skills with creative problem-solving to design and make products that can be used within the home or real world.

Design and Technology at Sheridan involves a process of designing a product / project, creating and then evaluating that project. The students can draw on knowledge picked up in maths, science and art - building their problem solving skills to create a successful finished piece.

We encourage creative freedom within DT by allowing the students to adapt projects to their personal tastes and interests, while still allowing them the time to develop much needed life skills, while hopefully fostering the knowledge and confidence the students need to become capable adult citizens.

• Creative problem-solving:

  D&T allows our students to develop their problem solving skills in a safe and secure environment - allowing for a boost in their creativity and confidence.

• Creativity and Imagination:

  Students can use their creativity and imagination to produce personalised products that suit their needs or wants. Allowing students to adapt their designs to their interests allows students to feel more in control of their work and offers a more inclusive way of working.

• Practical Skills:

  DT provides students with access to tools and machinery, as well as staff who can show students how to use them safely and effectively. This allows them to develop their practical skills in a hands on way, giving them skills for their lives beyond Sheridan.

• Evaluation:

  Sheridan school encourages students to evaluate or review their work, so they can learn to identify ways they could improve their work, as well as identify things that went well with their project. This can help develop a sense of pride in their work.

• Interdisciplinary Approach:

  D&T draws upon knowledge from other subjects like mathematics, science, and art, fostering a holistic understanding of design and its applications and providing cross curricular links and the ability to apply their other subject knowledge to real world problems. (For example, being able to measure wood successfully using rulers and tri-squares.)

Below are some rules we ALWAYS follow:

• No running

• Keep a good distance away from others when using tools.

• Don't take/use tools without asking.

• Hang bags and coats up on hooks

• Tie long hair back

• Clean up any spills or mess.

• Wear goggles and ear defenders when using the machines

• No rocking on chairs

• Turn off machines when not in use.

The list goes on, and every student is briefed on these health and safety rules when beginning their DT journey.

The Design and Technology scheme of work at Sheridan is bespoke to our school and tailored towards our students.

While these are the basic plan of action for each year group, they are not set in stone and our staff allow for adaptation of the plans, with student interests influencing the direction of the projects we focus on. This is because we want to focus more on the skills our students are learning and less on the finished project.