Our Design and Technology curriculum is ambitious, inclusive and carefully sequenced. It is designed to develop learners’ design knowledge, technical understanding, practical competence, creativity and evaluative thinking from the Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 6.

St Luke’s uses Kapow Primary as an important resource to support curriculum planning and delivery. Subject leaders and teachers review and adapt the materials so that they reflect the National Curriculum, learners’ prior knowledge, the school’s context, available resources and the wider aims of our curriculum.

The curriculum follows an iterative design process in which learners:

• investigate a context or problem;
• identify an intended user;
• establish the purpose of a product;
• explore existing products;
• develop design criteria;
• generate and communicate ideas;
• select suitable materials, components and tools;
• make prototypes and products;
• test their ideas;
• evaluate outcomes; and
• refine or improve their designs.

Learners understand that designing is rarely a simple linear process. Designers often move between research, planning, making, testing and evaluation as their ideas develop.

Through the curriculum, learners develop knowledge and experience in:

• structures;
• mechanisms and mechanical systems;
• textiles;
• electrical systems;
• digital systems where appropriate;
• materials and their properties;
• joining and finishing techniques;
• construction;
• food preparation;
• cooking;
• nutrition;
• product analysis;
• design communication;
• prototyping;
• evaluation; and
• responsible and sustainable design.

Learners are taught how products are designed for particular people and purposes. They consider:

• who will use the product;
• what the user needs;
• where and how the product will be used;
• which materials are suitable;
• how the product will function;
• how it will be made safely;
• how its effectiveness will be tested; and
• how it could be improved.

Technical knowledge is taught explicitly and progressively. Learners build understanding of how structures, mechanisms, materials, electrical components and digital systems work before applying this knowledge within design challenges.

Making is purposeful and informed. Learners are taught how to select and use tools, materials and components accurately and safely. They practise important techniques before applying them with increasing independence.

Evaluation is embedded throughout the design process. Learners study existing products, test developing ideas, compare outcomes with agreed criteria and make evidence-informed improvements.

Food and nutrition form an important part of the curriculum. Learners develop practical cooking skills and an age-appropriate understanding of nutrition, food origins, seasonality, hygiene and safe preparation.

The curriculum also develops responsible design. Learners consider the environmental and social effects of products, materials, packaging, production and waste. They are encouraged to make thoughtful choices and understand that design decisions can affect people and the environment.

The curriculum is ambitious for every learner. Teachers adapt tools, materials, processes, groupings and methods of recording so that learners can participate meaningfully without unnecessarily reducing technical or creative challenge.

By the end of Year 6, learners should be able to research, design, make and evaluate increasingly sophisticated products. They should apply secure technical knowledge, use tools and materials safely, explain their decisions and respond constructively when an initial idea does not work as intended.

Our Design and Technology curriculum develops two closely connected forms of knowledge: substantive knowledge and disciplinary knowledge.

Substantive Knowledge

Substantive knowledge is the technical and contextual knowledge learners acquire about products, materials, systems, food and design.

It includes knowledge of:

• users and purposes;
• design criteria;
• existing products;
• materials and their properties;
• structures;
• stability and strength;
• levers and linkages;
• wheels and axles;
• sliders;
• gears;
• pulleys;
• cams;
• pneumatics;
• electrical circuits and components;
• digital control where appropriate;
• textiles;
• templates and patterns;
• joining techniques;
• fastenings;
• tools and equipment;
• food groups;
• nutrition;
• food origins;
• seasonality;
• hygiene;
• safe preparation;
• finishing techniques;
• sustainability; and
• influential designers, engineers and inventors.

This knowledge enables learners to understand how products work, how they are made and why particular materials, components or processes have been selected.

Disciplinary Knowledge

Disciplinary knowledge is the knowledge learners use to think and work as designers, makers and evaluators.

Learners are taught how to:

• investigate a need or opportunity;
• identify a user;
• define a purpose;
• analyse existing products;
• gather relevant information;
• develop design criteria;
• generate several possible ideas;
• communicate designs;
• create annotated sketches;
• use diagrams, templates, patterns or models;
• select materials and components;
• choose appropriate tools;
• practise technical processes;
• make accurately and safely;
• construct a prototype;
• test function;
• identify weaknesses;
• evaluate against criteria;
• respond to user feedback;
• refine a design; and
• explain and justify decisions.

Learners are not expected simply to copy a teacher-designed product or assemble a predetermined craft outcome.

They are taught to make informed choices and understand that successful designing involves balancing factors such as:

• function;
• user need;
• safety;
• appearance;
• cost;
• strength;
• sustainability;
• available resources; and
• ease of manufacture.

For example, a learner should not only know how to join two materials. They should increasingly understand which joining method is most suitable, why it has been selected and whether it provides the required strength, movement or finish.

Substantive and disciplinary knowledge are developed together. Learners need secure technical knowledge before they can make effective design decisions. Applying that knowledge through practical design challenges then helps them deepen and demonstrate what they know.

Our Design and Technology curriculum is structured around recurring concepts. These are introduced in age-appropriate ways and revisited with increasing technical depth, precision and independence.

User

Products are designed for people.

Learners are taught to consider:

• who will use a product;
• the user’s needs and preferences;
• the user’s age or circumstances;
• where the product will be used;
• accessibility;
• safety; and
• how user feedback can improve a design.

Learners understand that they are not always designing only for themselves.

Purpose

Every designed product should have an intended function or purpose.

Learners consider:

• what the product must do;
• which problem it should solve;
• how success will be judged;
• whether it is suitable for its context; and
• whether it meets the agreed need.

A product’s appearance should support its purpose rather than replace functionality.

Design Criteria

Design criteria describe the essential requirements that a successful product should meet.

Learners develop criteria based on:

• user need;
• intended function;
• size;
• materials;
• strength;
• safety;
• appearance;
• sustainability; and
• other relevant constraints.

They use the criteria throughout designing, making and evaluation.

Research and Product Analysis

Learners investigate existing products to understand how designers have solved similar problems.

They consider:

• the intended user;
• purpose;
• materials;
• components;
• construction;
• movement;
• safety;
• appearance;
• strengths;
• limitations; and
• possible improvements.

Product analysis is used to inform learners’ own decisions rather than encourage direct copying.

Designing

Designing involves generating, developing and communicating possible solutions.

Learners learn to:

• produce more than one idea;
• draw and annotate designs;
• use diagrams;
• create templates and patterns;
• model or prototype;
• identify materials and components;
• explain how a design will work;
• consider constraints; and
• adapt plans as new information emerges.

Making

Making involves translating a design into a functional product.

Learners develop the ability to:

• follow an agreed plan;
• measure;
• mark;
• cut;
• shape;
• join;
• assemble;
• strengthen;
• finish;
• cook;
• work accurately;
• manage materials; and
• use tools safely.

Making is informed by technical knowledge rather than treated as a separate craft activity.

Evaluation

Evaluation takes place throughout the design process.

Learners learn to:

• test ideas;
• compare outcomes with design criteria;
• gather user feedback;
• identify strengths;
• recognise weaknesses;
• explain why something worked or failed;
• suggest improvements;
• make modifications; and
• reflect on the effectiveness of the complete process.

Evaluation should be specific and evidence-informed rather than limited to whether a learner liked the finished product.

Structures

Structures are arrangements of materials or components designed to support loads, span spaces or maintain shape.

Learners develop understanding of:

• stability;
• strength;
• stiffness;
• load;
• compression;
• tension;
• bracing;
• frameworks;
• shells;
• foundations; and
• reinforcement.

They explore how shape, material and construction affect structural performance.

Mechanisms and Mechanical Systems

Mechanisms enable movement or change the direction, speed or type of motion.

Learners explore systems such as:

• sliders;
• levers;
• linkages;
• wheels and axles;
• gears;
• pulleys;
• cams; and
• pneumatics.

They learn to identify inputs, processes and outputs and apply this understanding within functional products.

Electrical and Digital Systems

Learners develop age-appropriate understanding of how electrical or digital components can control products.

They may explore:

• batteries;
• bulbs;
• buzzers;
• switches;
• motors;
• circuits;
• inputs;
• outputs;
• sensors;
• control; and
• simple programming where appropriate.

They apply this knowledge to products designed for a clear user and purpose.

Materials and Components

Learners develop knowledge of how different materials behave.

They consider properties such as:

• strength;
• flexibility;
• stiffness;
• absorbency;
• durability;
• weight;
• texture;
• water resistance;
• insulation;
• appearance; and
• sustainability.

They select materials and components according to function rather than convenience alone.

Textiles

Learners explore how fabrics can be shaped, joined, strengthened and finished.

They develop knowledge of:

• templates;
• patterns;
• seams;
• stitches;
• fastenings;
• decoration;
• layering;
• reinforcement; and
• fabric properties.

Textile products are designed for an intended user and purpose.

Food and Nutrition

Learners develop practical knowledge of food preparation and cooking alongside understanding of healthy and varied diets.

They explore:

• food groups;
• balanced choices;
• ingredients;
• taste;
• texture;
• food origins;
• seasonality;
• hygiene;
• safe handling;
• preparation techniques;
• cooking methods;
• recipes; and
• evaluation.

Learners understand that food products are designed for particular users, occasions and nutritional purposes.

Prototyping

A prototype is a model or early version used to test an idea.

Learners use prototypes to:

• explore size and shape;
• test movement;
• check construction;
• identify problems;
• gather feedback;
• compare possible solutions; and
• refine a design before completing the final product.

They learn that a prototype does not need to be polished to be useful.

Sustainability

Learners consider the environmental and social consequences of design decisions.

They explore:

• material use;
• waste;
• durability;
• repair;
• reuse;
• recycling;
• packaging;
• energy;
• food miles;
• seasonality;
• ethical sourcing; and
• the life cycle of products.

They understand that sustainable design often involves balancing different priorities.

Innovation and Problem-Solving

Design and Technology encourages learners to respond creatively to practical needs.

They learn to:

• ask questions;
• recognise opportunities;
• generate alternatives;
• test possibilities;
• persist when something fails;
• adapt ideas;
• combine knowledge; and
• develop increasingly effective solutions.

An unsuccessful first attempt is treated as useful evidence within the design process rather than simply as failure.

Our Design and Technology curriculum is implemented through carefully planned units that develop learners’ design knowledge, technical understanding, practical skill and evaluative thinking over time.

St Luke’s uses Kapow Primary as an important resource to support curriculum planning and delivery. Subject leaders and teachers review and adapt the materials so that they reflect the National Curriculum, learners’ prior knowledge, the school’s context, available resources and the wider aims of our curriculum.

Design and Technology is taught as a distinct subject. Purposeful links are made with Science, Mathematics, Computing, Art and Design, Geography and other areas where these connections deepen technical understanding. These links do not replace the specific design process or technical knowledge taught within D&T.

Teachers introduce new learning in a clear sequence. They identify what learners already know, revisit important technical knowledge and make explicit links between earlier and current learning.

New content is broken into manageable steps so that learners can develop secure understanding of:

• users and purposes;
• product analysis;
• design criteria;
• materials and components;
• structures;
• mechanisms;
• electrical and digital systems;
• textiles;
• food and nutrition;
• tools and techniques;
• safe working;
• prototyping;
• evaluation; and
• refinement.

The design process is central to implementation. Learners are given regular opportunities to investigate, design, make, test, evaluate and improve.

Teachers use:

• clear explanation;
• practical demonstration;
• annotated examples;
• product analysis;
• guided practice;
• modelling;
• technical vocabulary;
• questioning;
• discussion;
• prototyping;
• testing;
• user feedback; and
• independent application.

Learners are taught how to use tools and equipment safely and accurately. Before making a final product, they may practise techniques, test joints, trial mechanisms or explore material properties.

Designs are expected to reflect a real or realistic user and purpose. Learners understand why they are making a product, who it is for and how success will be judged.

Teachers avoid overly prescriptive outcomes in which every learner produces the same object. While core technical knowledge and processes may be shared, learners should make purposeful design decisions.

Evaluation takes place throughout rather than only after completion. Learners are encouraged to identify problems, modify ideas and understand that refinement is a normal part of effective design.

Design and Technology teaching is supported through curriculum guidance, shared planning, professional development and subject leadership. The D&T leader works with staff to strengthen technical knowledge, improve confidence and support consistency across the school.

Our Design and Technology curriculum is sequenced so that learners build increasingly secure and connected knowledge from the Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 6.

Progression is not understood simply as making more complicated products. It involves the planned development of:

• understanding users and purposes;
• product analysis;
• design communication;
• material knowledge;
• technical knowledge;
• tool use;
• accuracy;
• construction;
• mechanisms;
• structures;
• textiles;
• electrical and digital systems;
• food and nutrition;
• evaluation;
• problem-solving; and
• increasing independence.

Important concepts and techniques are revisited in different contexts so that learners can transfer and deepen their understanding.

Early Years Foundation Stage

In Nursery and Reception, children develop early design and making foundations through exploration, construction, problem-solving and imaginative play.

They begin to:

• build and join;
• select materials;
• use simple tools;
• talk about what they want to make;
• test ideas;
• notice whether a structure is stable;
• explore movement;
• prepare simple food;
• make choices; and
• improve an outcome.

Key Stage 1

In Key Stage 1, learners develop foundational understanding of the design process.

They begin to:

• identify a user and purpose;
• explore existing products;
• generate simple ideas;
• use drawings and templates;
• select materials;
• use basic tools;
• make simple structures and mechanisms;
• prepare food safely;
• evaluate products; and
• suggest improvements.

Lower Key Stage 2

In Lower Key Stage 2, learners develop greater technical control and design independence.

They begin to:

• create more detailed design criteria;
• produce annotated designs;
• compare materials;
• use a wider range of tools;
• apply knowledge of structures and mechanisms;
• develop textile techniques;
• use electrical components where appropriate;
• prepare and cook food;
• test prototypes;
• gather feedback; and
• refine products.

Upper Key Stage 2

In Upper Key Stage 2, learners apply technical knowledge with greater precision and independence.

They are expected to:

• investigate needs in greater depth;
• design for specific users;
• communicate ideas clearly;
• justify material and component choices;
• use tools accurately;
• apply increasingly complex mechanisms or systems;
• combine materials and processes;
• test function systematically;
• evaluate against detailed criteria;
• consider sustainability; and
• prepare for secondary Design and Technology.

By the end of Year 6, learners should be able to manage an increasingly complete design process and explain how technical knowledge informed their decisions.

Design and Technology vocabulary is deliberately selected, introduced, modelled and revisited throughout the curriculum.

Learners need secure vocabulary to analyse products, communicate designs, follow processes and evaluate outcomes accurately.

Teachers explicitly teach:

• design vocabulary;
• user and purpose terminology;
• materials language;
• tool and process vocabulary;
• structural terms;
• mechanism terminology;
• textiles language;
• electrical and digital-system vocabulary;
• food and nutrition language;
• safety terminology; and
• evaluation language.

This includes words and phrases such as:

• user;
• purpose;
• function;
• design criteria;
• research;
• investigate;
• prototype;
• model;
• annotate;
• material;
• component;
• structure;
• stability;
• strengthen;
• reinforce;
• join;
• measure;
• mark;
• cut;
• assemble;
• mechanism;
• lever;
• linkage;
• axle;
• gear;
• pulley;
• cam;
• circuit;
• switch;
• sensor;
• textile;
• template;
• pattern;
• seam;
• ingredient;
• nutrition;
• seasonality;
• hygiene;
• test;
• evaluate;
• modify;
• improve; and
• sustainable.

The vocabulary becomes increasingly precise and technical as learners move through the school.

Teachers support vocabulary development by:

• linking terms directly to products and processes;
• modelling accurate use;
• demonstrating techniques;
• using diagrams and labels;
• revisiting key language;
• encouraging oral rehearsal;
• providing sentence structures where helpful;
• asking learners to justify decisions; and
• expecting learners to use subject-specific language in discussion and evaluation.

Purposeful communication is an important part of D&T.

Learners are given opportunities to:

• explain a user need;
• describe how a product works;
• present a design;
• justify material choices;
• discuss technical problems;
• give and receive feedback;
• explain modifications;
• compare possible solutions;
• evaluate against criteria; and
• present a finished product.

Over time, learners should communicate design thinking with increasing confidence, clarity and precision.

Assessment in Design and Technology is used to determine what learners know, understand, can apply and can make.

It helps teachers identify whether learners have secured the intended design knowledge, technical understanding and practical skills.

Assessment is used to inform teaching, identify misconceptions and support curriculum improvement.

Teachers assess learning through a range of evidence, including:

• questioning and discussion;
• product analysis;
• design criteria;
• annotated sketches;
• prototypes;
• practical observation;
• tool use;
• technical exercises;
• developing products;
• food preparation;
• testing;
• user feedback;
• learner reflection; and
• final evaluation.

Teachers consider whether learners can:

• identify a user and purpose;
• analyse existing products;
• develop appropriate design criteria;
• communicate ideas;
• select suitable materials;
• use tools safely;
• apply technical knowledge;
• make accurately;
• test function;
• identify weaknesses;
• evaluate against criteria;
• respond to feedback;
• improve a product; and
• work with increasing independence.

Teachers check understanding throughout the design and making process rather than judging only the final product.

They identify:

• unclear understanding of purpose;
• weak product analysis;
• inappropriate material choices;
• insecure tool use;
• technical misconceptions;
• over-reliance on copying;
• limited accuracy;
• unsafe practice;
• weak evaluation;
• difficulty responding to failure; and
• barriers to participation.

Teachers respond through:

• further demonstration;
• additional practice;
• adapted tools or materials;
• visual guidance;
• smaller steps;
• prototyping;
• guided questioning;
• modelling;
• peer support;
• additional time; and
• increased challenge.

Assessment is proportionate and purposeful. It is not based solely on whether the final product looks attractive or is fully successful.

Teachers also consider:

• progress from starting points;
• design thinking;
• technical improvement;
• accuracy;
• problem-solving;
• resilience;
• independence;
• response to testing; and
• ability to explain decisions.

Subject leaders use assessment evidence to identify:

• strengths in curriculum implementation;
• areas of inconsistency;
• technical knowledge requiring further emphasis;
• weaknesses in practical progression;
• gaps in food and nutrition;
• participation differences;
• groups who may not be achieving as well as expected;
• professional development needs;
• resource needs; and
• areas where curriculum sequencing should be refined.

The impact of our Design and Technology curriculum can be seen in what learners investigate, design, make, test, explain and improve.

We evaluate whether learners have developed secure technical foundations, increasing practical competence and the confidence to solve problems purposefully.

Over time, learners should demonstrate:

• greater understanding of users and purposes;
• increasingly thoughtful product analysis;
• clearer design criteria;
• stronger design communication;
• improved material knowledge;
• more accurate tool use;
• increasing technical understanding;
• greater control in construction;
• secure knowledge of structures and mechanisms;
• improved textiles knowledge;
• stronger food-preparation skills;
• understanding of nutrition and hygiene;
• increased confidence in prototyping;
• purposeful evaluation;
• willingness to modify ideas;
• greater resilience;
• increasingly independent decision-making; and
• positive attitudes towards designing and making.

Impact is evaluated through a range of evidence, including:

• discussions with learners;
• design folders or books;
• annotated sketches;
• prototypes;
• practical outcomes;
• photographs of processes;
• food products;
• technical tasks;
• lesson visits;
• curriculum reviews;
• subject-leadership monitoring;
• learner reflection;
• displays and exhibitions; and
• readiness for the next stage.

No single source of evidence is used in isolation.

Leaders consider whether the intended curriculum has been taught effectively, whether learners have developed the intended knowledge and whether all groups have benefited.

Particular attention is given to:

• learners with SEND;
• disadvantaged learners;
• learners with English as an additional language;
• learners with physical or sensory needs;
• learners with low confidence;
• learners with limited practical experience beyond school;
• learners with gaps caused by absence; and
• learners who require greater challenge.

Leaders also consider whether all learners have equitable access to:

• tools and materials;
• practical making;
• food and cooking;
• mechanisms and systems;
• three-dimensional construction;
• enrichment;
• exhibitions; and
• design leadership.

Where evaluation identifies weaknesses or inconsistency, leaders refine curriculum planning, provide professional development, review resources and evaluate the impact of subsequent action.

By the end of Year 6, learners should be knowledgeable, resourceful and increasingly independent designers and makers.

They should be able to identify needs, communicate ideas, apply technical knowledge, use tools safely, test function and improve products in response to evidence.

They should be well prepared for secondary Design and Technology and understand that design can improve everyday life, solve problems and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Our Design and Technology curriculum is ambitious for every learner. All learners are entitled to develop design knowledge, technical understanding, practical skill and confidence through meaningful participation.

Teachers identify potential barriers and adapt teaching without unnecessarily reducing technical challenge or limiting learners to simplified outcomes.

Adaptations may include:

• explicit teaching and pre-teaching of vocabulary;
• clear practical demonstration;
• visual step-by-step guidance;
• adapted tools, handles or grips;
• pre-cut or partially prepared materials where appropriate;
• larger components;
• stable work surfaces;
• alternative joining methods;
• additional processing and making time;
• repeated practice;
• smaller stages within a process;
• alternative ways to communicate designs;
• digital design tools where appropriate;
• carefully planned adult support; and
• opportunities to work at a different scale.

For learners with physical, sensory or medical needs, teachers work with families, the SENCo and relevant professionals to identify safe and appropriate adaptations.

Learners with fine-motor difficulties may benefit from:

• adapted scissors;
• easy-grip tools;
• larger fastenings;
• pre-drilled holes;
• alternative sewing equipment;
• templates;
• jigs;
• clamps; and
• assistive technology.

Learners with visual impairments may benefit from tactile materials, raised diagrams, clear contrast, enlarged plans and opportunities to handle products directly.

Learners with sensory sensitivities may require thoughtful access to particular textures, food ingredients, smells, sounds or practical environments.

For learners with English as an additional language, teachers support understanding through demonstrations, labelled diagrams, visual prompts, repeated vocabulary and oral rehearsal.

Learners with low confidence are supported through:

• practising techniques before the main task;
• testing ideas privately;
• collaborative problem-solving;
• carefully framed feedback;
• reassurance that prototypes may fail;
• clear success criteria; and
• celebration of persistence and improvement.

Learners who demonstrate secure understanding are challenged through:

• more complex design criteria;
• independent material selection;
• additional technical constraints;
• more sophisticated mechanisms;
• greater precision;
• user consultation;
• sustainability analysis;
• extended prototyping; and
• leadership or peer-support roles.

Teachers and leaders review participation as well as final products. They consider whether learners can:

• investigate existing products;
• communicate ideas;
• access tools and materials;
• apply technical knowledge;
• make safely;
• test function;
• evaluate outcomes;
• improve a design; and
• see themselves as capable designers and makers.

Inclusion in Design and Technology means enabling every learner to make purposeful decisions and contribute meaningfully to the design process.

In Nursery and Reception, children develop the foundations of Design and Technology primarily through Expressive Arts and Design, Physical Development and Understanding the World.

Through carefully planned provision and adult interaction, children are encouraged to:

• explore construction materials;
• select resources;
• join and combine materials;
• use simple tools;
• build structures;
• test stability;
• explore movement;
• solve practical problems;
• talk about what they want to make;
• adapt an idea;
• prepare simple food;
• develop safe routines; and
• evaluate whether something works.

Children begin to use language such as:

• build;
• join;
• cut;
• fold;
• stick;
• shape;
• strong;
• weak;
• stable;
• balance;
• move;
• turn;
• push;
• pull;
• tool;
• material;
• plan;
• change;
• test; and
• improve.

Adults model safe tool use and introduce simple design thinking without making every outcome identical.

Children are encouraged to ask and answer questions such as:

• What are you making?
• Who is it for?
• What do you need?
• Which material will work best?
• How will you join it?
• Is it strong enough?
• Does it move?
• What could you change?

The indoor and outdoor environments may provide access to:

• blocks;
• loose parts;
• recyclable materials;
• construction kits;
• fabrics;
• fastenings;
• simple tools;
• malleable materials;
• wheeled objects;
• ramps;
• food-preparation equipment; and
• natural materials.

Children revisit materials and processes so that they develop greater control, confidence and independence.

These early experiences prepare children for Key Stage 1 by developing curiosity, tool control, material knowledge, problem-solving, collaboration and the ability to improve an initial idea.

Our Design and Technology curriculum introduces learners to a broad and thoughtfully selected range of designers, engineers, inventors, architects, chefs, textile designers and makers.

Learners should encounter people from:

• different historical periods;
• different cultures and countries;
• Britain and the wider world;
• different social backgrounds;
• different professional disciplines;
• local communities;
• contemporary practice; and
• groups whose contributions have historically received less attention.

Curriculum content is reviewed so that learners encounter:

• women designers and engineers;
• Black and minority ethnic designers;
• disabled designers and inventors;
• sustainable-design pioneers;
• architects;
• product designers;
• fashion and textile designers;
• food innovators;
• civil and mechanical engineers;
• digital designers; and
• community-based makers.

Representation is considered when selecting:

• case studies;
• products;
• images;
• videos;
• books;
• design briefs;
• visiting speakers;
• career links; and
• classroom displays.

Learners consider:

• who designed a product;
• which need it addressed;
• who benefited;
• how it was made;
• which constraints shaped the outcome;
• what impact it had;
• whether it was accessible;
• how sustainable it was; and
• how it might be improved today.

Teachers avoid presenting design history as the work of a narrow group of exceptional individuals. Learners understand that successful products often result from collaboration, testing, engineering, manufacturing and user feedback.

The curriculum also helps learners recognise that design can either reduce or create barriers.

They consider:

• accessibility;
• inclusive design;
• affordability;
• environmental impact;
• cultural relevance;
• ethical sourcing; and
• the consequences of poor design.

Through this breadth, learners develop respect for different forms of expertise and understand that design and engineering are possible future pathways for them.

Enrichment extends learners’ experience of Design and Technology and enables them to apply knowledge in purposeful contexts.

Opportunities may include:

• visiting designers or engineers;
• architecture and construction workshops;
• STEM projects;
• food and nutrition workshops;
• enterprise activities;
• sustainable-design challenges;
• gardening and food-growing projects;
• museum visits;
• design competitions;
• community briefs;
• coding and robotics;
• textiles projects;
• model-making;
• after-school clubs; and
• links with local businesses or organisations.

Enrichment is selected to deepen curriculum knowledge rather than provide an isolated making activity.

Before a visit, workshop or challenge, learners are prepared with:

• relevant technical knowledge;
• vocabulary;
• design criteria;
• safety expectations;
• questions; and
• a clear understanding of the intended outcome.

Afterwards, learners are given opportunities to:

• reflect;
• evaluate;
• apply new techniques;
• improve a design;
• present findings;
• gather feedback; and
• make links with future careers.

Enterprise

Enterprise activities can help learners understand that products are designed within practical constraints.

Learners may consider:

• user demand;
• cost;
• material use;
• production;
• packaging;
• quality;
• promotion;
• pricing;
• profit;
• waste;
• accessibility; and
• ethical decision-making.

Enterprise should not reduce D&T to decorating and selling a simple product. It should include a genuine design process and opportunities for learners to apply technical and evaluative knowledge.

Exhibitions and Sharing

Design work may be shared through:

• school exhibitions;
• class presentations;
• design fairs;
• digital portfolios;
• assemblies;
• community events;
• demonstrations;
• tasting events; and
• displays of prototypes and final products.

Displays should show the design process as well as the finished outcome.

This may include:

• research;
• initial ideas;
• annotated designs;
• failed prototypes;
• testing evidence;
• user feedback;
• modifications; and
• final evaluations.

Design Leadership

Learners may develop leadership through roles such as:

• D&T ambassadors;
• tool and resource monitors;
• peer demonstrators;
• exhibition guides;
• sustainability champions;
• enterprise-team members; and
• contributors to school-improvement design projects.

Leaders review who participates and whether disadvantaged learners, learners with SEND and less confident learners have equitable access to clubs, visits, competitions and leadership.

Design and Technology contributes strongly to learners’ personal development.

Through designing, making, testing and evaluating, learners develop:

• confidence;
• resilience;
• perseverance;
• creativity;
• collaboration;
• responsibility;
• patience;
• independence;
• precision;
• problem-solving;
• reflection; and
• openness to feedback.

The subject teaches learners that mistakes and unsuccessful prototypes are valuable sources of information.

They learn to:

• persist when a mechanism fails;
• identify the cause of a problem;
• test another solution;
• listen to user feedback;
• adapt plans;
• manage frustration;
• work safely;
• share tools;
• respect different ideas; and
• take responsibility for the quality of their work.

Design and Technology helps learners explore:

• human needs;
• accessibility;
• sustainability;
• fairness;
• ethical production;
• environmental responsibility;
• food choices;
• technology;
• innovation;
• community; and
• the impact of design on daily life.

The subject contributes to learners’ understanding of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs through:

• shared design decisions;
• agreed safety rules;
• user choice;
• collaborative projects;
• respectful critique;
• culturally diverse food and textile traditions;
• ethical debate; and
• consideration of different user needs.

Our school values are developed meaningfully through Design and Technology.

Kindness

Learners design with empathy, consider the needs of others, share resources and support peers during practical work.

Respect

Learners respect users, tools, materials, cultural traditions, design ownership and the contribution of others.

Confidence

Learners develop confidence by presenting ideas, using tools, solving problems, responding to setbacks and explaining decisions.

Excellence

Learners pursue excellence through careful planning, technical accuracy, testing, evaluation and refinement.

Design and Technology supports our vision to Believe, Achieve and Thrive by helping learners believe in their ability to solve problems, achieve through disciplined designing and making, and thrive as creative, responsible and resourceful members of their communities.

Families can support Design and Technology by encouraging curiosity, practical problem-solving and thoughtful discussion about how everyday products are designed and made.

The most valuable support does not require specialist tools or expensive resources. Parents and carers can help learners develop design thinking through simple opportunities to investigate, build, repair, prepare food and improve ideas.

Families can support learning by:

• discussing how everyday products work;
• comparing different versions of the same product;
• building with recyclable or construction materials;
• encouraging learners to draw and explain designs;
• involving learners in simple repairs;
• preparing and cooking food together;
• discussing healthy and varied diets;
• exploring packaging and sustainability;
• talking about who a product is designed for;
• encouraging safe tool use;
• testing whether a model works;
• discussing how an idea could be improved; and
• noticing design within homes, streets and public spaces.

Useful questions include:

• Who is this product designed for?
• What problem does it solve?
• How does it work?
• Which materials have been used?
• Why might the designer have chosen them?
• Is it strong, safe and easy to use?
• How could it be made more accessible?
• What could be improved?
• Can any materials be reused?
• How could waste be reduced?
• What did you learn from testing it?

Families are encouraged to value the design process as well as the final product.

Learners should understand that effective designing may involve:

• changing an initial plan;
• testing more than one solution;
• making a prototype;
• discovering that a material is unsuitable;
• asking for feedback;
• taking something apart;
• repairing an error; and
• trying again.

Any practical activity at home should be appropriately supervised. Learners should use tools, heat sources and electrical equipment only with suitable adult support.

Food preparation should follow safe hygiene and allergy practices.

Families who would like further guidance about Design and Technology, food education or enrichment should contact the school.

Our Design and Technology curriculum is planned so that learners develop increasingly secure knowledge of designing, making, technical systems, food and evaluation.

The content taught in each year group is informed by the National Curriculum and supported by Kapow Primary resources. Teachers and subject leaders review and adapt units to reflect prior learning, the school’s context, available resources and the needs of learners.

The summaries below should be read alongside the whole-school Design and Technology curriculum overview and progression documents.

Nursery

Children explore construction, joining, movement, materials and simple food preparation through play and adult-guided experiences.

They begin to choose resources, test ideas, solve simple problems and talk about what they are making.

Reception

Children develop greater confidence in planning, constructing, joining and improving.

They explore stability, movement, tools, materials and food preparation and begin to explain whether an idea works.

Year 1

Learners develop foundational understanding of users, purposes and simple design criteria.

They explore basic structures, mechanisms, textiles or food and begin to evaluate products against a clear purpose.

Year 2

Learners develop greater control in designing and making.

They use drawings, templates and simple mechanisms, select materials more carefully and suggest practical improvements.

Year 3

Learners begin to apply technical knowledge with greater intention.

They create more detailed designs, use a wider range of tools and explore structures, mechanisms, textiles, food or electrical components.

Year 4

Learners deepen their knowledge of systems, materials and construction.

They test prototypes, justify choices, work with increasing accuracy and evaluate products against more detailed criteria.

Year 5

Learners develop greater technical precision and design independence.

They solve more complex problems, combine materials and components, consider sustainability and respond to user feedback.

Year 6

Learners draw together knowledge from across the Design and Technology curriculum.

They manage increasingly complete design processes, apply technical knowledge, work accurately and prepare for secondary Design and Technology.

The exact units studied in each year group should be listed or linked below.

Year-Group Curriculum Links

• Nursery Design and Making overview
• Reception Design and Making overview
• Year 1 Design and Technology overview
• Year 2 Design and Technology overview
• Year 3 Design and Technology overview
• Year 4 Design and Technology overview
• Year 5 Design and Technology overview
• Year 6 Design and Technology overview

The following documents provide further information about the Design and Technology curriculum at St Luke’s.

Core Design and Technology Documents

• Whole-School Design and Technology Curriculum Overview
• Design and Technology Progression of Knowledge and Skills
• Design Process Progression
• Making Progression
• Evaluation Progression
• Technical Knowledge Progression
• Structures Progression
• Mechanisms and Mechanical Systems Progression
• Electrical and Digital Systems Progression
• Textiles Progression
• Cooking and Nutrition Progression
• Design and Technology Vocabulary Progression
• Practical skills, Tools, Equipment and Safety Progression
• Design and Technology Curriculum by Year Group
• Designers, Engineers and Inventors Overview
• Design and technology Enrichment, Enterprise and Sustainability Overview
• Design and Technology Assessment Guidance
• Design and Technology Policy

The Design and Technology subject leader works with teachers, senior leaders, the SENCo, premises staff, external practitioners and governors to support the quality, consistency and development of D&T across the school.

The subject leader ensures that the intended curriculum is ambitious, inclusive, progressive, safe and accurately represented in published information.

Subject leadership includes:

• reviewing curriculum plans and progression documents;
• checking alignment with the National Curriculum;
• ensuring that progression from EYFS to Year 6 is clear;
• reviewing the use and adaptation of Kapow Primary resources;
• supporting teachers’ technical and practical subject knowledge;
• identifying professional development needs;
• reviewing the balance of structures, mechanisms, textiles, systems and food;
• evaluating design and making processes;
• speaking with learners about their knowledge and experiences;
• visiting lessons;
• reviewing assessment information;
• checking safe tool use;
• reviewing food hygiene and allergy procedures;
• monitoring resources and storage;
• evaluating representation and career links;
• checking inclusion and accessibility;
• reviewing enrichment and enterprise;
• identifying strengths and inconsistencies;
• reviewing the impact of improvement actions; and
• refining curriculum content and resources where necessary.

The subject leader considers whether learners are building secure technical knowledge and increasing independence over time.

Particular attention is given to whether:

• projects begin with a clear user and purpose;
• design criteria are meaningful;
• technical knowledge is taught explicitly;
• learners analyse existing products;
• designs inform making;
• final outcomes are not overly prescribed;
• practical techniques develop progressively;
• learners test and improve products;
• food and nutrition are taught fully;
• mechanisms, structures and systems receive sufficient coverage;
• learners with SEND access an ambitious curriculum;
• disadvantaged learners have equitable access to resources and enrichment;
• health and safety expectations are followed;
• staff have sufficient confidence with tools and processes; and
• learners are prepared for the next stage.

The Design and Technology leader works with relevant staff to ensure that:

• tools are suitable and maintained;
• resources are organised;
• food preparation is hygienic;
• allergies and dietary needs are understood;
• risk assessments are appropriate;
• electrical equipment is used safely; and
• practical environments support effective learning.

The subject leader reports relevant findings to senior leaders and governors.

Evaluation informs:

• curriculum refinement;
• professional development;
• resource purchases;
• food and nutrition planning;
• health and safety improvements;
• enrichment opportunities; and
• school improvement priorities.

The published Design and Technology page and linked documents are reviewed regularly to ensure that they remain current and reflect actual practice.

Further information about the Design and Technology curriculum is available from the school.

Parents and carers can request:

• more detailed information about the content taught in a particular year group;
• copies of curriculum overviews;
• information about progression;
• guidance on supporting Design and Technology at home;
• accessible versions of published curriculum documents;
• information about materials, tools and techniques;
• information about food and nutrition;
• clarification about ingredients and dietary adaptations;
• details of clubs, workshops, visits or enterprise activities; and
• clarification about curriculum resources.

Please contact the school office through the contact details provided on the school website.

Parents and carers should inform the school promptly of any changes to:

• food allergies;
• food intolerances;
• dietary requirements;
• medical needs;
• sensory needs; or
• physical needs that may affect practical participation.

Families should refer to school communications for current information about practical projects, ingredients, workshops and enrichment.

Paper copies of curriculum information can be provided on request.

The school welcomes constructive feedback about the accessibility and usefulness of its curriculum information. Published content is reviewed regularly to ensure that it remains accurate, clear and consistent with the curriculum learners receive.