Design and Technology
At Old Hill Primary School, we believe that Design and Technology prepares children to become creative thinkers, problem-solvers and innovators. Through designing, making and evaluating products, pupils develop practical skills and technical knowledge whilst learning how design and technology influence the world around them.
Our curriculum is supported by Kapow Primary, ensuring clear progression of knowledge and skills from Reception to Year 6. Pupils learn through a range of engaging projects that develop their understanding of structures, mechanisms, textiles, cooking and nutrition, electrical systems and the digital world.
Intent
Our Design and Technology curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:
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develop creativity, resilience and independence;
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understand and apply the design process of designing, making and evaluating;
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acquire technical knowledge and practical skills across a range of contexts;
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solve real and relevant problems whilst considering the needs of a user;
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evaluate existing products and improve their own designs;
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understand the principles of healthy eating and nutrition;
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develop the confidence to take risks, learn from mistakes and refine their ideas.
Implementation
Design and Technology is taught through carefully sequenced units of work that build upon prior learning. Each unit follows a structured design process where pupils investigate existing products, generate ideas, develop technical knowledge, create products and evaluate outcomes against design criteria.
Pupils develop their knowledge and skills through the key areas of:
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Structures
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Mechanisms
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Textiles
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Electrical Systems
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Digital World
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Cooking and Nutrition
Throughout each unit, pupils are taught subject-specific vocabulary and are encouraged to explain their thinking using appropriate technical language. Knowledge and skills are revisited and built upon over time, enabling children to make links between previous learning and new concepts.
Teachers use assessment opportunities within each unit to identify pupils' understanding and inform future learning.
Impact
By the end of Year 6, pupils will have developed the knowledge, skills and confidence to design and make purposeful products for a range of users and contexts. They will be able to communicate ideas effectively, select appropriate materials and tools, evaluate products critically and apply their learning to solve practical problems.
Pupils leave Old Hill Primary School with a secure understanding of the design process, strong practical skills and the confidence to innovate, create and improve. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education and for a future shaped by design and technology.
Curriculum Overview
Our Design and Technology curriculum is structured so that pupils build their design, making and evaluation skills progressively.
Key Stage 1
Pupils learn to design purposeful products, develop practical skills using a range of materials and tools, and begin to explore simple structures, mechanisms and food preparation.
Lower Key Stage 2
Pupils develop greater independence in the design process whilst extending their understanding of structures, textiles, mechanisms and cooking and nutrition.
Upper Key Stage 2
Pupils apply increasingly complex technical knowledge to design, make and evaluate products across a range of contexts, including electrical systems, digital technologies and more sophisticated construction projects.
A full overview of the Design and Technology curriculum for each year group can be found below.
