Engineer
Being an Engineer at Filton Avenue
Intent
Being an Engineer is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.
The aims of being an Engineer are:
- To develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
- To 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
- To critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
- To understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook
Where does it come from?
Being an Engineer is integrated into our curriculum through an enquiry-led, local learning approach. This approach recognises that the cognitive maturity of learners affects what and how they learn. It encourages learners to be an Engineer and develop their disciplinary knowledge as well as their substantive knowledge of Engineering concepts.
Implementation
What does being a lead Engineer entail?
- Provide encouragement and ideas to staff across the school. Know when Engineer enquiries are happening and speak with the relevant year groups.
- Ensure visits and experiences are carried out and provide support regarding this.
- Monitor content, progression and enquiries and be mindful of coverage ‘v’ skill acquisition.
- Support with the development of skills and knowledge progressions.
- Lead staff training sessions.
- Drive the development of being an Engineer, sharing best practice.
- Evaluate being an Engineer and complete a Deep Dive analysis.
- Ensure enquiry planning and floor books (or alternative evidence) are sufficient to effectively represent the state of being you lead.
- Lead a group of children to be “Champions” for the subject and use this group to gather different voices across the school.
- With the State of Being Champions, create an annual newsletter for your state of being, which is sent to families and shared on our website and other social media channels. This should celebrate learning, create aspiration and centre children in current affairs for that state of being.
- Working closely with these Champions, have a strong focus on developing pupil voice, ensuring our pupils know their thoughts are valued and providing evidence of the positive impact of our curriculum.
- Lead being an Engineer in line with the school improvement plan and curriculum action plan so that you are sensitive to, and understand how, whole school improvement has to be considered strategically in order to have the best effect and not overwhelm staff.
What is ‘covered’?
Essentially, a Curious-city curriculum uses the National Curriculum 2014 areas as a basic foundation of entitlement. However Curious-city is much more than that. It is localised, real-life and challenges learners to apply their learning in unique ways without the support of adults to prove what they have learnt. Local companies, charities, organisations, individuals and objects are used as foci to enhance and instill a sense of curiosity, pride and stewardship.
Impact
How is Being an Engineer monitored and assessed?
Every term, Being Champions meet as a team (the Enquiry hub) to discuss and share what they are seeing and hearing and, working as a team, help to review the school’s curriculum and contribute to the Enquiry action plan.
Twice a year, Being Champions work with the Enquiry leads to review floor books and enquiry books to ensure coverage and progress across the school for their state of being.
As there is no requirement to formally report attainment of Design & Technology, Being an Engineer is assessed through monitoring how a learner responds to enquiries and whether they show a particular enthusiasm and disposition towards it, or, if they constantly needed support in order to access it. This information is recorded on the Enquiry crib sheets which are kept and used for report writing towards the end of the year. These are then passed on to the next teacher to use to support future learning.
National Curriculum coverage linked to our enquiries
If you want to be an Engineer at home, try looking at these websites:
https://www.funkidslive.com/learn/design-technology/
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?Subject=7https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zyr9wmn
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zyr9wmn
