At Thwaites School, Design and Technology is an important part of our broad and balanced curriculum. It gives pupils opportunities to solve problems, think creatively, make informed decisions and understand how products, systems and technologies shape the world around them.

We want pupils to become confident designers and makers who understand that ideas can be tested, adapted and improved. Pupils learn that effective design balances function, safety, sustainability and appearance and that the design process is as important as the finished product.

Our Design and Technology curriculum is based on Kapow Primary and has been carefully adapted for our mixed-age classes and rolling curriculum. Design and Technology is taught in planned units, with weekly lessons during the periods in which the subject is scheduled. It alternates with Art and Design across the curriculum year.

Nursery children develop relevant knowledge and skills separately through the EYFS curriculum. Where appropriate, their learning is linked to the Design and Technology curriculum being followed by Reception and Key Stage 1.

Curriculum Organisation

From Reception to Year 6, our Design and Technology curriculum is organised around six strands:

• Design Thinking and Communication

• Making and Construction

• Tools, Materials and Safety

• Technical Knowledge and Systems

• Evaluation and Iteration

• Food, Nutrition and Sustainability

These strands are revisited through different units and year groups. This enables pupils to return to important knowledge and skills in new contexts, developing greater technical understanding, accuracy and independence over time.

Units cover mechanisms, structures, textiles, cooking and nutrition, electrical systems and the digital world. Pupils learn how products and systems work and consider how designers respond to different purposes, users and needs.

Designing, Making and Evaluating

Pupils are taught to follow a purposeful design process. They investigate existing products, identify intended users and purposes, develop and communicate ideas, select suitable materials and tools, make their products, and test and evaluate their effectiveness.

Design ideas are communicated using discussion, labelled drawings, diagrams, templates, models and appropriate technical vocabulary. As pupils progress through the school, they are expected to justify their choices with increasing independence and explain how their designs meet their intended purpose.

Practical learning is central to the subject. Pupils learn to select and use a range of tools, materials, components and ingredients safely and effectively. Teachers explicitly model technical processes and provide opportunities for pupils to practise before applying their skills to a finished product.

Testing, evaluation and improvement are integral parts of every unit. Pupils consider what has worked successfully, identify possible improvements and adapt their ideas or products accordingly. They learn that evaluating and refining a design are important parts of being a successful designer.

Design and Technology books are used to record ideas, drawings, diagrams, technical knowledge, testing and evaluation. They provide evidence of pupils’ thinking and developing understanding alongside their practical outcomes.

Food and Nutrition

Through cooking and nutrition units, pupils learn about the principles of a healthy and varied diet. They develop practical food-preparation skills and learn to select and use ingredients and equipment safely and hygienically.

Pupils also consider where food comes from and explore issues connected with seasonality and sustainability. As they progress, they apply their knowledge when designing, preparing and evaluating food products for particular users and purposes.

Inclusion and Challenge

Our Design and Technology curriculum is designed to be accessible to every pupil. Its practical, visual and discussion-based approaches allow pupils to demonstrate their understanding without relying heavily on extended written outcomes.

Teachers use modelling, demonstrations, practical resources, visual aids, scaffolding, structured prompts and guided practice where needed. Tasks and outcomes can be adapted so that every pupil participates meaningfully and works towards the intended learning.

Pupils who demonstrate secure understanding are challenged through greater independence, increasingly complex design problems and more demanding technical decisions. They may select from a wider range of materials and processes, justify their choices in greater depth or refine their products through repeated testing and evaluation.

Assessment

Assessment in Design and Technology is purposeful and reflects the practical, iterative and problem-solving nature of the subject. It focusses on what pupils know, understand and can do, rather than judging progress solely by the appearance of a finished product.

During lessons, teachers assess pupils through observation, discussion, questioning, design work and practical outcomes. They consider how confidently pupils apply taught knowledge, use tools and materials, solve problems, test ideas and improve their designs. This allows teachers to address misconceptions, adapt teaching and provide appropriate support or challenge.

At the end of each lesson, pupils use the school’s POG system to reflect upon their progress against the learning objective and success criteria:

• Pink – Developing: “I am starting to learn this, but I still need help.”

• Orange – Secure: “I can do this on my own most of the time.”

• Green – Advanced: “I can do this confidently and could help someone else.”

At the end of each unit, teachers consider how securely pupils have learnt the knowledge and skills taught within that unit. Teachers also make termly judgements about pupils’ longer-term progress across the six curriculum strands. These judgements draw upon patterns observed across lessons, Design and Technology books, practical outcomes, end-of-unit assessments and teacher observations.

Each year, pupils take part in a Design Transfer Challenge. This gives them an opportunity to recall and apply knowledge and skills from previous units when responding to a new design problem. It helps pupils strengthen their long-term understanding and demonstrates how confidently they can transfer their learning to an unfamiliar context.

Curriculum Impact

By the end of Year 6, we aim for pupils to:

• design purposeful products for identified users and contexts;

• communicate and justify their ideas using drawings, diagrams, models and appropriate vocabulary;

• select and use a range of tools, materials, components and ingredients safely;

• understand and apply knowledge of mechanisms, structures, electrical systems and digital technologies;

• prepare food safely and apply the principles of healthy nutrition;

• test, evaluate and refine their designs and products;

• approach problems with creativity, curiosity and resilience; and

• work with increasing accuracy, confidence and independence.

We want pupils to leave Thwaites School seeing themselves as capable, thoughtful and responsible designers. They should understand how Design and Technology applies beyond the classroom and feel confident using their knowledge and creativity to respond to practical, real-world challenges.