Design Technology
At St Vincent’s Catholic Primary School, we want every child to become a creative and confident problem solver who can design, make and evaluate solutions to real world problems.
Our Design and Technology curriculum gives children opportunities to develop practical skills, think creatively and apply knowledge from across the curriculum. Pupils learn that good design begins with understanding a need and considering how a product can make a difference to people's lives.
We want children to develop the confidence to have ideas, test them, learn from mistakes and improve their designs.
Designing and Making
Our curriculum is carefully sequenced from the Early Years through to Year 6, enabling children to develop their skills and understanding progressively.
Children learn to:
• investigate and evaluate existing products
• identify needs and develop design criteria
• generate and communicate their own ideas
• use drawings, diagrams and models to develop designs
• select appropriate materials and tools
• measure and work accurately
• make and construct products
• test and evaluate their work
• identify improvements and refine their designs.
As children progress through the school, they become increasingly independent in making design decisions and solving practical problems.
Learning Through the Design Process
Children learn that designing is a process rather than simply creating a finished product.
They are encouraged to explore ideas, consider different possibilities, make prototypes, test their designs and respond to what they discover.
We encourage pupils to see mistakes as valuable opportunities to learn. Through trial, testing and refinement, children develop resilience and understand that successful products often result from making and improving ideas several times.
Materials, Tools and Techniques
Children develop practical skills through working with a range of materials and components.
They learn to select and use tools safely and appropriately and develop increasing control and accuracy as they progress through the school.
Pupils may work with materials such as:
• textiles
• wood
• card and paper
• construction materials
• food and ingredients
• electrical components
• mechanical systems.
They learn how the properties of different materials influence how they can be used and develop an understanding of how materials can be joined, shaped and finished.
Food and Nutrition
Food is an important part of our Design and Technology curriculum.
Children learn about where food comes from, healthy and varied diets and the importance of making informed food choices. They develop practical skills in preparing and cooking food safely.
As they progress through the school, pupils become increasingly confident in using a range of preparation and cooking techniques and learn how food can be combined to create healthy, appealing dishes.
Electrical and Mechanical Systems
Children explore how different mechanisms and electrical systems work and how they can be incorporated into useful products.
Through practical projects, pupils investigate ideas such as levers, linkages, wheels and axles, switches, circuits and simple control systems.
They develop an understanding of how different components work together and apply this knowledge when designing and making their own products.
Design and Technology Across the Curriculum
Design and Technology provides rich opportunities for children to apply knowledge from other subjects.
Pupils use mathematical skills when measuring and calculating. They apply scientific knowledge when exploring materials, forces and electrical systems. They draw on their understanding of history, geography and the wider world when considering how products and technologies have developed.
This helps children understand that successful design often requires knowledge and skills from many different areas.
Sustainability and Our Responsibility
As a Catholic school, we encourage children to think carefully about the impact that design and technology can have on people and the environment.
Pupils consider the materials they use, waste, sustainability and how products can be designed responsibly. They explore ways in which thoughtful design can reduce waste, conserve resources and improve people's lives.
This connects with our responsibility to care for God's creation and encourages children to consider the wider consequences of their design choices.
Supporting Every Designer
We have high expectations for every pupil and believe that all children can become successful designers and makers.
Teachers use adaptive teaching to ensure that pupils can access ambitious practical learning. Children who need additional support receive appropriate modelling, resources and scaffolding, while pupils who are ready for greater challenge are encouraged to work with greater independence and precision.
We are committed to ensuring that disadvantaged pupils, vulnerable pupils and pupils with SEND have full access to practical experiences and the support they need to achieve well.
Inspiring Future Designers
By the time children leave St Vincent's, we want them to have developed practical skills, creative confidence and the ability to approach problems thoughtfully.
We want pupils to understand that design can solve problems, improve lives and make a positive difference to the world.
Most importantly, we want children to be willing to have ideas, take creative risks, learn from mistakes and persevere until they find a solution.
Through Design and Technology, every child is encouraged to achieve, belong and thrive, developing the creativity, resilience and practical skills to make a positive difference and let their light shine.
At St Vincent’s we aspire to make the learning ambitious for all learners. Our school curriculum includes the knowledge, skills and life experiences children need to thrive. Our learning is carefully planned and sequenced using the National Curriculum that can be found below:
National Curriculum Design Technology
Knowledge and skills are built on from previous years and there is clear progression in each subject. You can see an overview of progression below
Design Technology progression:
Each curriculum area is taught across the year and evidenced on a long term plan, divided into half termly blocks. You can see the long term plan below:
