Design & Tech
What we teach, why we teach it, and how it helps every child grow.
Our intent
Encouraging imaginative and evaluative designers
At Weeton St Michael’s Church of England Primary School, we aim to inspire children to become creative, resourceful and confident designers who can use their knowledge and practical skills to solve real-life problems. Through an engaging and hands-on Design and Technology curriculum, we want all children to develop the ability to design, make and evaluate products for a specific purpose, considering the needs of themselves and others.
Our curriculum is carefully sequenced from EYFS to Year 6, allowing children to build on prior learning and develop increasing confidence and independence. We aim to develop children's problem-solving, resilience and teamwork, encouraging them to learn from mistakes and take pride in their finished products.
We recognise the importance of Design and Technology in everyday life and the wider world. We want every child to see themselves as a designer and leave Weeton St Michaels with valuable practical life skills and a lasting curiosity about how things work.
Subject Lead
Mr Wentel
We aim for our children to
- Generate, communicate and refine design ideas using appropriate drawings, plans, models and templates.
- Select and use a range of tools, materials, ingredients and techniques safely and effectively.
- Apply their understanding of structures, mechanisms, textiles, cooking and nutrition to increasingly complex projects.
- Use technical vocabulary to explain their ideas, decisions, processes and evaluations.
- Test their products against design criteria, identify strengths and weaknesses, and make improvements.
- Demonstrate resilience, creativity and resourcefulness when solving practical problems, both independently and collaboratively.
- Apply their knowledge and skills to everyday situations and recognise the importance of design and technology in the world around them.
Implementation
How we teach it
At Weeton, Design and Technology follows a progressive curriculum, guided by our whole-school DT progression map and two-year rolling programme. Children build on prior learning through a broad range of practical projects covering structures, mechanisms, textiles, cooking and nutrition.
Across all year groups, children are encouraged to follow the iterative design process:
Design: Investigate existing products, identify a purpose, establish design criteria and communicate ideas through drawings, plans, templates and models.
Make: Select appropriate materials, ingredients, tools and techniques, working safely and developing accuracy and practical skills.
Evaluate: Test and evaluate their products against design criteria, consider the views of others and identify ways to improve their designs.
Teachers use modelling, practical demonstrations and opportunities for experimentation and collaboration to develop children's confidence and independence. Technical vocabulary and cross-curricular links, particularly with mathematics, science and computing, support children's understanding. Teaching is adapted to ensure all pupils can access learning, develop practical skills and achieve success.
Every child can achieve in Design and Technology
We believe that every child can succeed in Design and Technology and develop the creativity, practical skills and technical knowledge needed to design, make and evaluate products.
Staff plan lessons that build on children's prior learning and provide opportunities for all pupils to explore materials, develop new skills and solve problems. Children are encouraged to experiment, learn from mistakes and refine their designs. Through practical, engaging activities, we aim to ensure every child develops confidence, independence and pride in their creations.
The impact
How we know it is working
Through our Design and Technology curriculum, children develop the creativity, practical skills and technical knowledge needed to solve problems and design products for a purpose. By the end of Year 6, pupils are increasingly independent in generating ideas, selecting materials, using tools safely and evaluating and improving their designs.
Progress is assessed through teacher observation, questioning, design work, practical outcomes and pupil evaluations. This enables teachers to monitor the development of children's knowledge and skills over time.
Ultimately, we aim for children to leave Weeton St Michaels as confident, resourceful and reflective designers who can apply their learning to real-life situations, persevere when faced with challenges and take pride in their achievements.
Each term the subject leader will
- Monitor pupils' work
- Interview pupils
- Evaluate assessments and identify trends
- Conduct a learning walk to observe DT teaching and learning.
- Monitor pupils' work
Standards of teaching and learning in Design and Technology are monitored by the subject leader and the headteacher. The DT curriculum is reviewed and developed annually to ensure skills and knowledge progress effectively from EYFS to Year 6.
What children learn
National Curriculum expectations by key stage
Early Years Foundation Stage
Children explore a range of materials, tools and construction resources. They develop early designing and making skills through junk modelling, joining materials, threading and exploring food using their senses. They begin to talk about what they have made and how they could improve it.
Key Stage 1
Add your content here
Lower Key Stage 2
Upper Key Stage 2
Children apply their technical knowledge and practical skills to more complex design challenges. They develop and refine design criteria, select appropriate materials and tools, construct and evaluate products such as bridges and automata toys, and create more advanced textile products. They also develop their understanding of nutrition, ingredients and adapting recipes for a specific purpose.
Our whole-school curriculum vision
At Weeton St Michael's C of E Primary School, our vision is to provide our children with a high-quality, inclusive education inspired by Christian values. Excellent teaching and learning form the basis of all our work, delivered through a caring, creative ethos.
Our children are encouraged to have a positive attitude, develop resilience in their approach to learning, become confident in their own ability, and be independent and motivated to achieve their full potential.
We believe it is our duty to make learning fun, engaging, memorable, accessible and ambitious for all children, instilling in them a love of learning.
We take seriously our duty to teach children about the fundamental British values of mutual respect and tolerance, democracy, the rule of law and individual liberty. These values are woven through our curriculum so that our learners leave us prepared for life in modern Britain.
Documents
Take a closer look at the subjects we teach
Weeton St Michaels Design and technology Progression Map
Our progression document details the precise knowledge taught in each unit of work.
Useful links
Good places to practise
We had added some resource links that our children actually use or which may be handy to learn at home.
Questions about the curriculum?
Our subject leaders are always happy to talk. Call 01253 836280
