Design and Technology
Our Design and Technology (DT) lead is Miss R Lee.
Our Big Idea
Design and Technology helps children understand how the world around them is made — and how they can shape it. Through the lenses of identity, community, sustainability and diversity, pupils learn to design with purpose, create for real users, and appreciate the many ways people solve problems. They discover that their ideas matter, their creativity has impact, and thoughtful design can make life better for everyone.
Our Approach
In DT, children know and use a clear cycle of research, design, make and evaluate, developing practical skills alongside creative thinking. Not every project uses each of the four elements but over the course of a year each child will practise all four skills. We encourage pupils to:
Design for real people, considering diverse needs and identities
Work collaboratively, learning from and supporting their community
Make sustainable choices, thinking carefully about materials and impact
Explore a wide range of cultures and traditions, understanding how design varies across the world
Projects are hands‑on, meaningful and rooted in real‑life contexts. Children learn to take risks, test ideas, adapt their thinking and celebrate both success and productive mistakes.
Curriculum Overview
Across the school, pupils experience a broad and balanced DT curriculum that includes:
Mechanisms: Exploring levers, sliders, linkages and moving parts to understand how things work.
Structures: Investigating stability, strength and shape to design purposeful constructions.
Textiles: Learning simple sewing, joining and fabric techniques to create functional products.
Food and Nutrition: Understanding where food comes from, making healthy choices and preparing simple dishes safely.
Electrical circuits: Using circuits, switches and components to bring designs to life.
Each unit builds progressively on previous knowledge, ensuring children develop confidence, independence and growing sense of themselves as designers and makers.
| Autumn 6 weeks | Spring 5 Weeks | Summer 6 weeks |
F1 | Responding to children’s interests and needs through continuous provision and enhancements | ||
F2 | Celebrations – Bonfire night – joining and cutting | Celebrations – map making, making boats planes and rockets – joining, cutting, building for purpose | Making a dinosaur safe – food and shelter |
Year 1/2 (Cycle A) | Shade and Shelter – Structures Dens Investigate and design | Taxi! – Mechanisms Wheels and axles (Building a model car) Make and evaluate | Chop, Slice and Mash – Food Technology Salads Investigate, design, make and evaluate. |
Year 1/2 (Cycle B) | Dips and Dippers – Food technology
Investigate, design, make and evaluate | Moving storyboards - Mechanisms Sliders and levers (DT Association Project on a page) Make and evaluate | Towers, Tunnels and Turrets – Structures Toy castle for the Nottingham castle shop Investigate and design |
Year 3/4 Cycle A | Glove Puppets – Textiles Templates and joining Make and evaluate | Making it Move – Mechanisms Pneumatic creature in a box (DT Association Project on a page) Investigate and design (prototype product) | Remarkable Recipes – Food Technology Roman bread making Investigate, design, make and evaluate. |
Year 3/4 Cycle B | Tacos and shell structures (packaging) – Food technology and structures. Investigate, design, make and evaluate | Aerial bird feeders – Mechanisms Pulleys Make and evaluate | Night Light - Electrical Systems (DT Association Project on a page) Investigate Design |
Year 5 | Engineer – Frame structures Prototype bridges for a toy car to travel on. Investigate and design | Moving Toys – Mechanisms Cams (DT Association Project on a page) make and evaluate | Eat the Seasons – Food technology Seasonal Soups Investigate, design, make and evaluate. |
Year 6 | Food for life – Food technology Processed food – whole foods – gnocchi and pasta sauce Investigate, design, make and evaluate | Microbits - Electrical systems CAD. Coding pedometers. Investigate and design | Make do and Mend – Textiles Using recycled material to make a purse/pencil case Make and evaluate |
Learning at Home
Families can support DT learning in simple, enjoyable ways:
Encourage children to tinker, build and explore using everyday materials
Cook together, talking about ingredients, nutrition and kitchen safety
Notice and discuss design in the real world — packaging, buildings, gadgets, clothing
Reuse and recycle materials for craft and construction to promote sustainable thinking
Invite children to explain their ideas and reflect on what they might change next time
Small experiences at home help children see that design is everywhere — and that they can be creative problem‑solvers in their daily lives.