DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

WHY IS DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY IMPORTANT?

An arts-rich education from an early age develops individual creativity and self-expression. Working in design helps children to develop creative problem-solving skills and can increase their confidence and motivation. When giving children instructions and following art instruction can help the children with the development of motor skills, language skills, social skills, decision-making, risk-taking, and inventiveness. Integrating art and design with other disciplines reaches children who might not otherwise be engaged in classwork. Design and Technology experiences boost critical thinking, teaching children to take their time to be more careful and thorough in how they observe the world.  Design and Technology provide challenges for learners at all levels and connects children with their own culture as well as with the wider world.

Purpose:

  • Equip students with the creative, technical, and practical skills needed to thrive in a world increasingly shaped by technology.
  • Develop their ability to design, make, and evaluate products
  • Fosters problem-solving and critical thinking skills while also exploring concepts like nutrition and cooking 

INTENT - OUR VISION FOR DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

At Porter Croft Primary Academy, our Design and Technology curriculum is a vital part of our wider vision to develop successful learners, confident individuals, and globally responsible citizens. Through a well-planned and engaging Design and Technology curriculum, we aim to provide all children with the skills, creativity, and resilience needed for the modern world.


Intent

Our intent for Design and Technology is to:

  •  Encourage children to think creatively and solve problems both as individuals and collaboratively.
  • Enable pupils to develop the technical knowledge and practical skills needed to design, make, and evaluate products.
  • Foster curiosity about how everyday products work and inspire a lifelong interest in innovation and design.
  • Build a strong foundation of subject-specific vocabulary to support communication and critical thinking.
  • Provide inclusive learning experiences that reflect the diversity of our school  community and prepare pupils to contribute meaningfully to society.

Our aims are to:

  • Fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum for Design and Technology
  • Provide a broad and balanced curriculum
  • Ensure the progressive development of knowledge and skills
  • Enable children to observe and record from first-hand experience and from imagination
  • Develop the children’s competence in controlling materials and tools
  • Acquire knowledge and become proficient in various design techniques and processes
  • Begin to develop an awareness of the visual and tactile elements including; shape, form and space
  • Foster enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts and develop a knowledge of significant artists, craftspeople and designers
  • Increase critical awareness of the roles and purposes of art and design in different times and cultures
  • Analyse works using the language of art and design.

IMPLEMENTATION – DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY PLANNING & SEQUENCING OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

Design and Technology is delivered through a spiral curriculum model, where key skills and concepts are revisited and built upon from Early Years through to Year 6.  Each unit of work includes elements of design, making, evaluating, and technical knowledge.

The National curriculum organises the Design and technology attainment targets under five subheadings or strands:

  • Design
  • Make
  • Evaluate
  • Technical knowledge
  • Cooking and nutrition

Our Design and Technology scheme has a clear progression of skills and knowledge within these five strands across each year group. Through the scheme, pupils respond to design briefs and scenarios that require consideration of the needs of others, developing their skills in five key areas:

  • Mechanisms
  • Structures
  • Textiles
  • Food
  • Electrical systems (KS2)

Each key area follows the design process (design, make and evaluate) and has a particular theme and focus from the technical knowledge or cooking and nutrition section of the curriculum. The scheme is a spiral curriculum, with key areas revisited again and again with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revisit and build on their previous learning.

Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work including practical hands-on, computer-based and inventive tasks. This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with a variety of learning styles. Differentiated guidance is available for every lesson to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are available when required. Knowledge organisers for each unit support pupils in building a foundation of factual knowledge by encouraging recall of key facts and vocabulary.

Strong subject knowledge is vital for our staff to be able to deliver a highly effective and robust Design and Technology curriculum. 

  • Children use a range of materials and tools to create products with real-world relevance, from structures and textiles to food and mechanisms.
  • Cross-curricular links, particularly with science, maths, and computing, help reinforce learning and show the real-life applications of D&T.
  • Vocabulary and oracy are prioritised across all year groups, allowing children to confidently discuss their ideas and evaluate their work. 
  • Projects are designed to meet the needs of all learners and reflect the diverse interests and cultures within our school community, their own and others’ cultural heritages through the study of a diverse range of artists.

To find out how Design Technology is planned & sequenced in order that our children can progress through the building blocks for learning, please click below

Progression of skills

Curriculum overview

NATIONAL CURRICULUM PURPOSE OF STUDY

The National Curriculum for Design Technology aims to ensure that all pupils:

Design

  • design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria
  • generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, templates, mock-ups and, where appropriate, information and communication technology

Make

  • select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing]
  • select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their characteristics

Evaluate

  • explore and evaluate a range of existing products
  • evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria

Technical knowledge

  • build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable 
  • explore and use mechanisms [for example, levers, sliders, wheels and axles], in their products. 

Cooking and nutrition

As part of their work with food, pupils should be taught how to cook and apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. Instilling a love of cooking in pupils will also open a door to one of the great expressions of human creativity. Learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that enables pupils to feed themselves and others affordably and well, now and in later life.

Pupils should be taught to:

Key stage 1

  • use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes
  • understand where food comes from.

Key stage 2

  • understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet
  • prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques
  • understand seasonality, and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.

To find out more information about the National Curriculum for this subject & others, please click.

INCLUSION

All Design and Technology lessons/activities are designed and planned to include all children through a range of approaches. Lessons are planned to facilitate the best possible outcome for all children within the class.

USEFUL DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY WEBSITES

    1. Scratch
      Fun, block-based programming platform for creating animations, games, and interactive stories (ideal for ages 8+).

    2. Tinkercad
      Simple 3D design and electronics tool by Autodesk. Kids can design models, learn about circuits, and prepare files for 3D printing.

    3. Makers Empire
      3D design app for kids aged 4–13. Offers design challenges, tutorials, and projects that build creativity and critical thinking.

    STEM & Engineering Projects

    1. IET Primary Resources
      Free STEM teaching resources and activity packs designed for UK primary schools, including D&T-focused topics.

    2. TeachEngineering
      A huge collection of engineering and design activities for students, including simple build projects and science integrations.

    3. NASA’s Space Place
      Explore science, engineering, and space technology through games, crafts, and short explainers for children.

    Design, Music & Creativity

    1. Chrome Music Lab
      Kids can experiment with sound, rhythm, and melody through colorful, interactive tools — perfect for integrating music with D&T.

    2. Toy Theater
      Offers design-themed tools like art apps, puzzles, and pattern makers — perfect for creative expression in early years.

    3. ABCya – Games by Grade
      Fun games by grade level covering design-thinking, puzzles, logic, and art. Easy to use and great for both classroom and home learning.

    Crafting & Practical Projects

    1. DK Find Out! – Technology Section
      Kid-friendly facts, diagrams, and videos explaining how things are made — cars, bridges, and more.

    2. Exploratorium – Tinkering Studio
      Inspiring hands-on projects like marble machines, scribbling bots, and circuit boards for young inventors.

    3. CBeebies – Make and Colour
      Simple D&T-style crafts for younger children with videos and printable templates.