Design & Technology

At Lidget Green Primary School we strive to provide high-quality Design and Technology lessons that engage and inspire children to think innovatively and develop procedural understanding. Children will be taught to select and use a range of equipment safely and confidently to create purposeful products. We encourage children to be critical thinkers, refining and improving their products through evaluation and problem-solving. 

We want to give children the opportunity to express their creativity through their designs and provide a platform for them to share their work with others. As well as making its own distinctive contribution to the school curriculum, Design and Technology contributes to the wider aims of primary education by making links between all areas of learning. We aspire for children to become resourceful, innovative, and capable citizens who can succeed in an increasingly technological world.

 

Intent

At Lidget Green Primary School, our Design and Technology curriculum aims to inspire and engage children to become confident, creative, and critical thinkers. We strive to develop practical skills that children can apply to real-world contexts.

We aim to:

  • Inspire children to design and make innovative purposeful products.
  • Develop pupils’ confidence to take risks, through drafting design concepts, modelling, and testing.
  • Teach children to evaluate past and present designs and products, encouraging them to be reflective learners who assess their own work and the work of others.
  • Provide children with opportunities to present their design ideas and products to others.
  • Build children’s confidence in using a range of equipment safely.  
  • Use computer aided designs to develop products.
  • Teach Design and Technology in a way that ensures progression of skills, and follows a sequence that builds on previous learning.
  • Make cross-curricular links to make teaching design technology more engaging and purposeful.
  • Ensure that Design and Technology lessons are inclusive for all learners, including those with SEND, by providing adapted tasks and support so every child can participate and make progress.

Implementation 

At our school, the Design and Technology curriculum is delivered using the Kapow learning scheme. Through this approach, pupils respond to design briefs and scenarios that require consideration of the needs of others, developing their skills across the six key areas of the subject. We alternate the teaching of Design and Technology and Art across the three terms. Units are carefully chosen to ensure steady progression towards the National Curriculum end-of-key-stage attainment targets, providing balanced coverage of the key strands: Design, Make, Evaluate, and Technical Knowledge.

Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies, including independent, paired, and group tasks, as well as practical, hands-on, computer-based, and creative activities. This variety ensures lessons are engaging and accessible to all learners.

Pupils also develop their oracy skills by presenting, explaining, discussing, and reflecting on design ideas and products, using appropriate technical vocabulary and collaborating effectively with others.

The Design and Technology National Curriculum outlines three main stages of the design process; design, make, and evaluate underpinned by technical knowledge. It also places particular emphasis on Cooking and Nutrition, which focuses on principles of food preparation, healthy eating, understanding where food comes from and seasonality.

To ensure full coverage and progression across the subject, pupils revisit six key areas throughout their time in primary school:

  • Cooking and Nutrition
  • Mechanisms / Mechanical Systems
  • Structures
  • Textiles
  • Electrical Systems (KS2 only)
  • Digital World (KS2 only)

EYFS 

The statutory Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework for England identifies Design and Technology within the area of learning ‘Expressive Arts and Design’.

By the end of Reception, children should be able to:

  • Safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools, and techniques.
  • Experiment with colour, design, texture, form, and function.
  • Apply their understanding of media and materials creatively, considering purpose and use.

At Lidget Green, children in the Early Years have regular opportunities to engage in a wide range of expressive arts and design experiences, allowing them to explore and experiment with different media and materials. The quality and variety of what children see, hear, and participate in play a vital role in developing their understanding, self-expression, vocabulary, and ability to communicate through creative activity.

Reception children also complete three Design and Technology projects drawn from the Kapow scheme, providing structured opportunities to explore, design, make, and evaluate.

Both child-initiated learning and adult-led activities support this development. Through thoughtful interaction and discussion, adults help to extend children’s thinking, language, and learning within expressive arts and design.

Inclusion 

All children should have the opportunity to work with a range of materials, tools, and techniques, regardless of ability. Tasks should be adapted, as necessary, to meet the individual needs of each pupil. Staff should be aware of, and sensitive to, medical conditions (e.g. allergies), as well as different beliefs and practices within the school and local community that may affect their work with food, materials, or design. 

Guidance is available for each lesson to ensure accessibility for all pupils, with opportunities for extending learning when required. To ensure a supportive and inclusive environment, the curriculum should be flexible to accommodate all learners, and staff should continually assess and respond to students' needs, ensuring that all children are fully included in practical activities and design tasks.

Resources

Our school has a wide range of resources to support the teaching of Design and Technology across the school. Specialised equipment is kept in the Design and Technology cupboard. We have a cooking room which holds all the equipment required for cooking lessons. Audits will be carried out regularly to monitor the resources, any shortfalls should be reported to the coordinator who will arrange for replenishment. The Design and technology cupboard will be kept locked and requires a key to be opened.

Health and safety

Teachers must carry out a risk assessment prior to teaching their design and technology lessons; using the design and technology risk assessment completed by the design and technology coordinator as a guide so that safety standards are met.

Children will be taught to use a range of tools safely including saws, drills and hammers. Teachers must demonstrate how to use equipment safely and children must work under strict supervision when using equipment that could cause injury. Group sizes need to be considered carefully and children need to be supported appropriately to increase their confidence in using a variety of equipment, while still ensuring their safety. Equipment must be counted out and in and locked away after use. Any damaged equipment must be given to the design technology co-ordinator to dispose of safely.

Teachers must be aware of any children with food allergies and ensure children with allergies are not exposed to any allergens. First aider must be present on site and medical boxes should be in the room. 

Assessment and monitoring 

Children’s work and pictures of their work will be recorded in online folders and Design and Technology books. Assessment will be carried out by regularly reviewing and scrutinising children’s work, namely through:

• Looking at pupils’ work, especially over time as they gain skills and knowledge.
• Observing how they perform in lessons.
• Talking to them about what they know.

The subject leader will monitor progress regularly through sampling children’s work, talking to pupils, and conducting learning walks. Staff will be supported with strong subject knowledge through teacher videos and CPD, ensuring the confident delivery of a high-quality curriculum.

Impact

The Design and Technology curriculum supports children’s personal development in creativity, independence, judgment, and self-reflection. This is evident as they confidently discuss and share their work with others. Progress is demonstrated not only through the final outcomes but also through the processes leading to them. The scheme of work will be monitored through both formative and summative assessments, including questioning and checking whether the work meets the learning objectives.

The Design and Technology curriculum has a lasting impact on children’s development, helping them acquire the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that will serve them both inside and outside of the classroom.

Through the teaching of Design and Technology, we enable all children to:

  • Understand the functional and aesthetic properties of a wide range of materials and resources, equipping them with the knowledge to choose the right materials for their designs.
  • Understand how to use and combine tools to carry out different processes for shaping, decorating, and manufacturing products.
  • Build and apply a repertoire of skills, knowledge, and understanding to produce high-quality, innovative outcomes, including models, prototypes, CAD, and products that meet the needs of users, clients, and scenarios.
  • Understand and apply the principles of healthy eating, diets, food groups, key processes, and cooking equipment, gaining essential cooking skills that contribute to health and well-being.
  • Appreciate key individuals, inventions, and events in history, understanding their impact on the world today.
  • Recognise the wider impact of decisions on the community, society, and the environment, fostering an understanding of how innovation and design shape the world.
  • Critique, evaluate, and test their own ideas, products, and the work of others, fostering a reflective mindset and encouraging continuous improvement.
  • Self-evaluate and reflect on learning at different stages, identifying areas for improvement.
  • Meet the end-of-key-stage expectations outlined in the National Curriculum for Design and Technology.