Design and Technology

Design Technology at Lydd Primary

"Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you look deeper, it's really how it works." Steve Jobs

“Technology makes possibilities. Design makes solutions. “John Maeda

Aims and Objectives

Design and technology helps to prepare children for the developing world. The subject encourages children to become creative problem solvers, both as individuals and as part of a team. Through the study of design and technology, they combine practical skills with an understanding of aesthetic, social and environmental issues. Design and Technology helps all children to become discriminating and informed consumers and potential innovators. It should assist children in developing a greater awareness and understanding of how everyday products are designed and made.

Curriculum Intent

At Lydd Primary School, we intend for all children to become confident, creative, and practical problem-solvers who can design, make, and evaluate purposeful products. Our Design and Technology curriculum fosters curiosity, innovation, and resilience by providing meaningful, hands-on learning experiences.

We aim to ensure that all pupils:

Develop key technical knowledge and skills in areas such as structures, mechanisms, textiles, food technology, and electronics.
Understand and apply the design process, from research and planning through to creating and evaluating.
Make real-life connections across the curriculum, drawing on knowledge from subjects such as maths, science, art, and computing.
Recognise the impact of design and technology in everyday life, industry, and the environment.
Work both independently and collaboratively, learning to take creative risks and value constructive feedback.
Develop essential cooking and nutrition knowledge, including how to prepare healthy food and make sustainable choices.

Curriculum Implementation

At Lydd Primary School, we follow the PlanBee Design and Technology scheme, which ensures clear progression of skills, knowledge, and vocabulary across all year groups. This structured scheme enables us to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum that is fully aligned with the National Curriculum requirements.

We implement our D&T curriculum through:

Discrete units of study, delivered each term, focusing on the core D&T strands: designing, making, evaluating, and technical knowledge.
Well-sequenced lessons, with clear learning objectives and practical outcomes that build on prior learning and develop new skills.
Cross-curricular links, especially with science, maths, and computing, to deepen understanding and application.
Opportunities for food technology, including safe food preparation, nutrition education, and healthy eating initiatives.
Use of subject-specific vocabulary, reinforced through discussion, displays, and written work.
Assessment for learning, used formatively to inform teaching and summatively to track pupil progress.

Early Years Foundation Stage

During the EYFS pupils explore and use a variety of media and materials through a combination of child initiated and adult directed activities. They have the opportunities to learn to:

Use different media and materials to express their own ideas
Use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about form, function and purpose
Make plans and construct with a purpose in mind using a variety of resources
Develop skills to use simple tools and techniques appropriately, effectively and safely
Select appropriate resources for a product and adapt their work where necessary
Cook and prepare food adhering to good health and hygiene routines

National Curriculum requirements at Key Stage 1

Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils should be taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. They should work in a range of relevant contexts, (for example the home and school, gardens and playgrounds, the local community, industry and the wider environment)

When designing and making, pupils should be taught to:

Design

design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria
generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, templates, mock-ups and, where appropriate, information and communication technology

Make

select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks, (or example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing)
select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their characteristics

Evaluate

explore and evaluate a range of existing products
evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria

Technical knowledge

build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable
explore and use mechanisms, (for example levers, sliders, wheels and axles), in their products.

National Curriculum requirements for food and Nutrition at KS1

As part of their work with food, pupils should be taught how to cook and apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. Instilling a love of cooking in pupils will also open a door to one of the great expressions of human creativity. Learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that enables pupils to feed themselves and others affordably and well, now and in later life.

Pupils should be taught to

use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes
understand where food comes from.

In Key Stage 2

Within key stage 2 key events and individuals that have influenced the world of Design Technology are teaching focuses that are to be covered.

The use of computer programmes and applications are also a key focus to be utilised by children in their design of their products.

National Curriculum requirements at Key Stage 2

Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils should be taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. They should work in a range of relevant contexts, for example, the home, school, leisure, culture, enterprise, industry and the wider environment.

When designing and making, pupils should be taught to:

Design

use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups
generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design

Make

select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks, such as cutting, shaping, joining and finishing, accurately
select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities

Evaluate

investigate and analyse a range of existing products
evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work
understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world

Technical knowledge

apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures
understand and use mechanical systems in their products, (for example as gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages)
understand and use electrical systems in their products, (for example series circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors)
to apply their understanding of computing to programme, monitor and control their products.

National Curriculum requirements for food and nutrition at KS2

Pupils should be taught to:

understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet
prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques
to understand seasonality, and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.

Curriculum impact

Through our D&T curriculum, children at Lydd Primary School:

Develop practical and creative confidence, applying what they know to solve real-world problems.
Gain a secure understanding of the design, make, and evaluate cycle and apply it independently.
Build a strong foundation in technical and digital design skills, preparing them for KS3 and beyond.
Learn to reflect critically on their own work and the work of others, using technical vocabulary accurately.
Show enthusiasm for designing and making, demonstrating resilience, teamwork, and innovation.
Leave primary school with a strong sense of how design and technology connects to the wider world, including careers, sustainability, and everyday life.

At Lydd Primary School, we are proud to deliver a Design and Technology curriculum that equips children with essential life skills and the creativity to shape the future.

Inclusion

Lessons and activities are planned to include all children by using a range of approaches. This includes: questioning, use of equipment and mixed ability grouping to enable children to offer peer support. Lessons are planned to facilitate the best possible outcome for all children within the class.

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and British Values

Collaborative work in design and technology develops mutual respect for the differing opinions, beliefs and abilities of others. In addition, children develop a respect for the environment, for their own health and

safety and that of others. They learn to appreciate the value of similarities and differences and learn to show tolerance. A variety of experiences teaches them to appreciate that all people – and their views – are equally important. Children are encouraged to work in a democratic way, exercising the ‘give and take’ required for successful teamwork.