Using ICT to facilitate planning for primary school design and technology: a case study that also considers the impact of literacy and numeracy developments on the primary curriculum

The pressure on primary schools from Government initiatives such as 'school improvement measures' and 'target setting' (DfEE, 1997) is immense. These together with the imperative to 'deliver' the National Literacy Strategy (DfEE, 1998) have resulted in a 'squeeze' on the foundation subjects of the National Curriculum. The pressure will increase with the Numeracy (DfEE, 1998a) developments planned for the next academic year. This paper discusses how a primary school is, with the assistance of a university-based facilitator, attempting to manage its curriculum planning to ensure Design and Technology remains an important aspect of children's education within a broad and balanced curriculum. It explores the processes the school has undergone in examining its current practice and develops tentative plans for projection of its curriculum 1999-2002. Central to this planning is the use of an ICT-based system to facilitate curriculum planning processes and curriculum documentation. Findings explore the implications of the curriculum development process implemented in this school and the implications of using ICT for curriculum planning.