Design & Technology

Design and Technology is taught either weekly or in blocks depending on the topic being covered. The topics are cross-curricular and have clear links to the creative curriculum. Skills are taught and refined explicitly. Many teachers choose to block the DT lessons so that the children can become immersed in the researching, designing and evaluating process. It allows for children to make clear connection between each process.

The children start school with different levels of prior knowledge and experiences. EYFS allows them to play and experiment with materials in a child led manner (junk modelling).

As a school, we endeavour to provide an education that inspires and is well rounded. The teaching of design and technology offers a diverse range of experiences and ensures that their education is well rounded.

The Journey

At Shepherd Primary, our interest in Design Technology begins in Early Years with both the Nursery and Reception classes. During Child initiated learning, children have access to a permanent provision – ‘a design and make’ area where they have access to loose parts and materials. Adults will offer instruction, encouragement and teaching of appropriate junctions of children’s learning experience.

When the children move into Year 1, they start to create a gunpowder plot moving picture book using sliders. This fits in with their WHIZZ, POP, BANG! Creative curriculum topic as well as their History topic of The Gunpowder Plot and Guy Fawkes. The children then create a superhero mask from various textiles, using a range of decorating techniques. Year 1 end the year making a Paddington Picnic where they cut, peel or grate ingredients safely and hygienically.

In Year 2, the children make bread by mixing, kneading and forming dough. They measure or weigh using measuring cups or electronic scales. They then move onto creating their own fire engines using levers, wheels and winding mechanisms. They will use materials to practise drilling and gluing materials to make and strengthen their products. They will end the year sewing Punch and Judy puppets, ensuring to join textiles using running stitch.

As the children move into Key Stage 2, Year 3 make Catalan Tomato Bread which links to their ‘Spain’ Creative Curriculum topic. The children will measure ingredients to the nearest gram accurately and follow a recipe to assemble and cook ingredients (controlling the temperature of the oven or hob.) In the Spring term, Year 3 create money purses from textiles, which links to their History topic of Stone Age to Iron Age. They end the year creating their own Egyptian-themed magnetic board games, applying their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures. This final topic links with their science topic of Forces and Magnets, as well as the History topic of the Ancient Egyptians.

In Year 4 children begin the year by making their own fruity muffins. The children will learn about seasonality and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown and processed. They will then make insulated cupholders from various textiles, and they will use various cutting and sewing techniques to achieve this. Year 4 will end the year making their own musical instruments where they attempt to modify their instrument in order to change the pitch and/or volume.

In Year 5 the children will learn how to make moving planets. They move onto creating vegetable pies, building on their cooking skills from previous years. Year 5 then end the year creating freedom quilts, where they will build on their previous designing and sewing skills to create more complex end products.

At the end of Key Stage 2, Year 6 will make their own war time soup, which is linked to their History topic of World War 2. The children will use a range of practical skills, such as peeling, cutting and chopping. The children move on to creating slippers, in which they learn to join textiles with a combination of stitching techniques (such as back stitch for seams and running stitch to attach decoration.) Year 6 end the year linking their Science topic of electricity to creating controllable vehicles. They will create circuits using electronics kits that employ a number of components.