Design Technology
Intent
At our school, we aim to provide a high-quality Design and Technology curriculum that inspires pupils to become creative, innovative problem-solvers who can design and make purposeful products for real-life contexts.
From Reception through to Year 6, pupils develop their understanding through design process of designing, making and evaluating, building resilience and independence.
We intend for our pupils to:
- Develop technical knowledge and practical skills across a range of materials including textiles, food, construction materials and digital systems
- Understand how design and technology has shaped the world and be inspired by key inventors, engineers and designers
- Gain essential life skills, particularly through cooking and nutrition, enabling them to make healthy, informed choices
- Think and talk like designers by asking meaningful questions, evaluating ideas and improving their work
- Develop creativity, confidence and curiosity through exploring real-world problems and contexts
Our curriculum is carefully sequenced so that pupils build on prior learning each year, moving from exploratory, hands-on experiences in EYFS to increasingly sophisticated design, technical and evaluative thinking in Key Stage 2.
Implementation
Design and Technology is taught through a structured, progressive curriculum from EYFS to Year 6, supported by clear units and links to wider learning.
- In EYFS, learning is embedded through Expressive Arts and Design, where children explore materials, tools and techniques, developing creativity and fine motor skills through play and discovery
- In Key Stage 1, pupils begin structured units such as stable structures, mechanisms and moving products, developing foundational skills in designing, making and evaluating
- In Key Stage 2, pupils apply and extend these skills through increasingly complex projects, including textiles, food technology, structures, electrical systems and programming (e.g. Micro:bits)
Across the school, pupils:
- Follow the design–make–evaluate cycle, refining their ideas and improving outcomes
- Work with a wide range of tools and materials, learning to select appropriate resources for specific purposes
- Develop technical knowledge, including structures, mechanisms, electrical systems and computing elements
- Explore cooking and nutrition annually, learning about healthy eating, seasonality and food preparation as a crucial life skill
- Engage in cross-curricular learning, linking DT to subjects such as science, maths, computing, geography and history
- Take part in enrichment opportunities, including trips, visitors, local links and community engagement
Vocabulary is explicitly taught and built upon each year to support pupils in articulating their ideas clearly and thinking like designers.
Assessment is ongoing through teacher observation, practical outcomes and evaluation of pupils’ design processes, ensuring progression in both skills and understanding.
Impact
The impact of our Design and Technology curriculum is that pupils leave our school as:
- Confident designers and makers, able to generate, develop and communicate their ideas effectively
- Resilient learners who can evaluate, adapt and improve their work through an iterative process
- Pupils with a strong understanding of materials, tools and technical systems, ready for the next stage of education
- Creatively minded individuals, who can apply their knowledge to solve real-world problems
- Young people equipped with essential life skills, including cooking, nutrition awareness and practical independence [DT
Pupils demonstrate:
- Increasing independence and precision in using tools and materials
- The ability to evaluate products against design criteria and suggest meaningful improvements
- A clear understanding of how design and technology connects to everyday life, industry and the wider world
By the end of Year 6, pupils have experienced a broad and balanced curriculum that prepares them not only for secondary education but also for life in a rapidly changing technological world.