Design & Technology

At our school, Design and Technology (D&T) inspires children to become creative thinkers and practical problem-solvers. D&T helps pupils learn how things work and how products are designed for real purposes and real people. Through designing, making and evaluating, children develop confidence, resilience and independence, while building essential life skills, including understanding materials, mechanisms and, where appropriate, food and nutrition.

Our approach

We teach D&T through a carefully sequenced curriculum that builds knowledge and skills progressively. Lessons are designed to help pupils:

• Design purposeful products by exploring needs, users and design criteria
• Develop practical making skills using tools, equipment and materials safely and accurately
• Apply technical knowledge (e.g., structures, mechanisms, textiles, electrical systems) to solve problems
• Evaluate and improve designs by testing ideas, reflecting on effectiveness and considering user feedback
• Understand food and nutrition in an age-appropriate way, including making simple, healthy choices and learning basic preparation skills

Kapow Primary: our chosen scheme

To ensure clear progression, consistent coverage and high-quality experiences for all pupils, we follow Kapow Primary’s Design and Technology scheme of work. This supports teachers with well-structured units that balance creativity with practical skills, and help children build knowledge over time. The scheme helps us provide:

• A coherent sequence of learning across key strands of D&T
• Practical, engaging projects with clear steps and purposeful outcomes
• Opportunities to explore real-world design, including how products are made and improved
• Strong vocabulary development, enabling pupils to talk about design choices, processes and materials confidently

How children learn in Design & Technology

D&T learning is hands-on, collaborative and rooted in real contexts. Children typically work through a clear process to:

• Investigate existing products and explore how they work
• Design using sketches, patterns, prototypes and design criteria
• Make using tools and materials with increasing accuracy and care
• Test and evaluate products against success criteria, then refine and improve

Pupils are encouraged to take creative risks, learn from setbacks and develop the resilience needed to refine their work - skills that transfer to many areas of learning.

Inclusion, safety and confidence

We want every child to succeed in D&T. Learning is planned to be inclusive and accessible, with careful scaffolding, modelled techniques and opportunities for challenge and extension. Safety is prioritised: pupils are taught to use tools and equipment responsibly and to work safely with materials, including food preparation where relevant. Above all, we aim to nurture curiosity, creativity and pride in what children design and make.