Our Design Technology curriculum provides an opportunity for our students to develop their designing and making skills with knowledge and understanding because we believe design and innovation matter.
Intent
At our school, Design and Technology (D&T) is taught in line with the Design and Technology Association’s Progression Framework. Our D&T curriculum aims to inspire pupils to become creative problem-solvers who can think critically, work practically and apply knowledge from a range of disciplines to real-life contexts. Through purposeful designing and making, pupils develop the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to engage confidently in an increasingly technological world.
D&T encourages pupils to take risks, be innovative and resilient, and reflect on their work and the work of others. It provides opportunities for pupils to design products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values.
Curriculum Structure and Progression
The curriculum is structured around the Design and Technology Association’s five key areas of progression:
- Design
- Make
- Evaluate
- Technical knowledge
- Cooking and nutrition
These areas are revisited throughout EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, ensuring clear progression in complexity, independence and technical challenge. Knowledge, skills and understanding are built systematically, allowing pupils to deepen and apply their learning over time.
Early Years Foundation Stage
In EYFS, D&T is embedded within the areas of Expressive Arts and Design and Understanding the World. Children explore materials, tools and techniques through play-based, hands-on experiences. They learn to design and create with a purpose, talk about their ideas, and evaluate what they have made. Early technical vocabulary and problem-solving skills are introduced, forming strong foundations for later D&T learning.
Key Stage 1
In Key Stage 1, pupils develop their ability to design purposeful products for themselves and others. They learn to generate ideas, select tools and materials, and use basic techniques to cut, shape, join and finish. Pupils explore mechanisms such as sliders and levers, simple structures, textiles and food preparation. Evaluation focuses on how well products meet their intended purpose and how they could be improved.
Key Stage 2
In Key Stage 2, pupils build on prior learning to design and make more complex and functional products. They develop detailed design criteria, use a wider range of tools and equipment with increasing accuracy, and apply technical knowledge of structures, mechanisms, electrical systems and digital control. In cooking and nutrition, pupils learn about seasonality, healthy and balanced diets, and prepare a range of savoury dishes. Evaluation becomes more analytical, with pupils considering user needs, functionality, innovation and sustainability.
Knowledge and Skills
Across the school, pupils are taught to:
- Research and design products with a clear purpose and user in mind
- Select appropriate materials, tools and techniques
- Make products safely and accurately
- Evaluate and refine their ideas and products
- Understand technical principles related to structures, mechanisms, electrical systems and food
The progression framework ensures that pupils’ technical knowledge and practical skills develop coherently year on year.
Inclusion and Accessibility
Design and Technology is inclusive and accessible to all pupils. Tasks are carefully structured and scaffolded to support a wide range of learners, including pupils with SEND. Practical activities encourage collaboration, creativity and independence, while adaptations and support enable all pupils to achieve success.
Assessment
Assessment in D&T is ongoing and formative, based on observation, discussion and outcomes at each stage of the design, make and evaluate process. The progression framework supports teachers in identifying pupils’ attainment and next steps in both knowledge and skills.
Impact
By the end of their primary education, pupils will have developed the confidence, creativity and technical understanding to design and make functional products. They will understand how design and technology impacts daily life and the wider world, and will be equipped with transferable skills such as problem-solving, teamwork and critical thinking that prepare them for future learning and life beyond school.
