Aims of our Design Technology Programme

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At Allithwaite CE Primary School, we are committed to providing every child with access to a broad, balanced and engaging curriculum.  Design and Technology is a creative, rigorous and practical subject that encourages children to think imaginatively and solve real problems, both independently and collaboratively.

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At Allithwaite, we want children to use their creativity and imagination to design and make products that respond to real and relevant needs within a range of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, values and preferences.  Wherever appropriate, design technology learning is meaningfully linked to other curriculum areas such as mathematics, science, computing and art.

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Children are also encouraged to reflect upon, evaluate and learn from past and present design and technology innovations, understanding how design shapes, and is shaped, by the world. Through this process, we aim to develop confident innovators and thoughtful risk-takers.

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Knowledge and Skills

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The Design and Technology curriculum at Allithwaite CE Primary School enables all pupils to:

• Develop the creative, technical and practical skills needed to carry out everyday tasks confidently and to participate effectively in an increasingly technological world

• Build and apply a secure bank of knowledge, understanding and skills to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide variety of users

• Critique, evaluate and test their own ideas and products as well as the work of others

• Understand and apply basic principles of nutrition and learn essential cooking skills

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Children design and make a range of products across their time in school.  High expectations are maintained for the quality and finish of children’s work, appropriate to their age and stage of development.

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What Design Technology Looks Like at Allithwaite CE Primary School

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We follow a two-year rolling programme of units where each class completes three Design and Technology projects each year.  These units ensure children experience a broad range of skills, including:

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• Constructing structures

• Working with simple and more advanced mechanisms (e.g., pulleys, gears, levers)

• Textiles and sewing

• Food technology

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Across each two-year cycle, all key skills are revisited to ensure continuity, progression and increasing depth. Each unit is clearly structured around key stages of learning:

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1. Investigating and exploring

2. Experimenting with a focus skill

3. Developing skills towards a final product

4. Evaluating the final outcome

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Lessons include a balance of individual, paired and group work to encourage collaboration and the sharing of ideas.

In Eagle Owls (Years 5 & 6), children are introduced to aspects of project management.  They learn about budgeting, planning for profit and marketing through practical projects, for example, at the end of each summer term, the Year 5 and 6 pupils collaborate on a fundraising enterprise, selling handmade crafts for fellow pupils, staff, parents and governors to purchase.  This gives children hands-on experience in designing, producing, marketing and evaluating products suitable for sale.

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Children’s learning is recorded through their DT books which contain photographs, samples of work, design plans and evaluations.

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All Design and Technology resources are stored centrally, allowing the subject leader to audit stock efficiently and ensure high-quality resources are available.  

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Design Technology Outcomes at Allithwaite CE Primary School

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Our curriculum aims to foster a genuine enjoyment of Design and Technology.  We promote a supportive, collaborative learning environment in which children can explore, investigate and enquire.  We place strong emphasis on hands-on, investigative experiences that help children build a clear understanding of the skills and concepts in each unit.

Children learn how to take calculated risks, developing into resourceful, innovative and enterprising learners.  Through studying past and present design solutions, they develop an appreciation of how design and technology influence daily life and society.  High-quality D&T education contributes significantly to pupils’ creativity, well-being and cultural and economic awareness.

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Our Design and Technology curriculum is carefully designed to be high quality and progressive. Skills, knowledge and vocabulary are built systematically over time.  We measure impact using the following methods:

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• Annotated DT books and displays, showing the full learning journey from exploration to evaluation

• Pupil voice to gather insight into understanding and enjoyment

• Moderation meetings where staff examine pupil outcomes together and discuss progression

• Annual reporting of standards across the curriculum