Design Technology

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart…” — Colossians 3:23

At St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, we believe Design and Technology gives children the opportunity to be creative, curious and purposeful learners. Through designing, making and evaluating, pupils develop practical skills, solve real-life problems and learn how their ideas can make a difference to the world around them.

Our Design and Technology curriculum provides children with meaningful opportunities to design, make and evaluate purposeful products. Through our Kapow Design and Technology scheme, pupils build upon their knowledge and skills progressively from Early Years to Year 6, developing confidence in using a range of materials, tools and techniques.

Our Catholic Ethos

We believe that every child is created in the image and likeness of God and has been given unique gifts and talents. Design and Technology provides children with opportunities to develop these gifts through creativity, perseverance, collaboration and problem-solving.

Pupils learn to appreciate the world God has created and consider how design and technology can be used responsibly to meet people's needs, improve lives and care for our common home.

Substantive Threads: Design & Technology

Through our Design and Technology curriculum, pupils progressively develop knowledge and understanding of:

Design – developing, communicating and refining ideas for purposeful products
Making – selecting and using appropriate tools, materials and techniques safely
Structures – understanding how structures are constructed and how they can be strengthened
Mechanisms – exploring how movement can be created and controlled
Electrical Systems – understanding how simple electrical components and systems work
Materials & Textiles – exploring the properties and uses of different materials and fabrics
Cooking & Nutrition – understanding healthy eating, food preparation, nutrition and food safety
Evaluation – testing and evaluating products against their design criteria and considering how they could be improved

Disciplinary Threads: Design & Technology

Pupils also learn how to think and work as designers and makers through:

Creative Thinking – generating and developing ideas in response to a design brief
Problem-Solving – identifying problems and finding practical solutions
Technical Skills – selecting and using tools, materials and techniques with increasing precision
Decision-Making – making informed choices about materials, processes and design
Evaluation & Reflection – testing, reviewing and improving their own work
Collaboration – sharing ideas, listening to others and working together to achieve a common goal
Safety & Responsibility – using tools, equipment and materials safely and responsibly

Implementation

Design and Technology is taught through engaging, practical and purposeful projects, following the Kapow Design and Technology scheme. Learning follows the Design, Make, Evaluate process and builds progressively throughout the school.

Teaching includes:

A clear progression of knowledge and skills from Early Years to Year 6
Opportunities to design, make and evaluate purposeful products
Practical experiences using a range of tools, materials and techniques
The development of construction, mechanisms, electrical systems and textile skills
Cooking and nutrition opportunities that promote healthy eating and independence
Opportunities to draw upon learning from Mathematics, Science, Computing and Art and Design
Opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively as well as independently
Regular opportunities to test, evaluate and improve designs
Appropriate challenge and support so that all pupils can develop as confident designers and makers

Impact

By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils will:

Enjoy Design and Technology and approach projects with creativity, curiosity and confidence
Understand and apply the Design, Make, Evaluate process
Design purposeful products based on identified needs and users
Select and use appropriate tools, materials and techniques safely
Demonstrate increasing technical skill, accuracy and independence
Apply knowledge from other curriculum areas to real-life design problems
Evaluate their own and others' products and identify ways to improve them
Understand the importance of healthy eating, nutrition and food safety
Recognise how design and technology can be used responsibly to meet people's needs and care for God's creation

Develop the practical skills, resilience and problem-solving abilities needed for life beyond primary school