Design & Technology (DT)
Overview
The design and technology projects are well sequenced to provide a coherent subject scheme that develops children’s designing, planning, making and evaluating skills over time.
Each project is based around a key design and technology focus: structures, mechanisms, cooking and nutrition or textiles. Elements of electrical systems and control are also taught through science, ensuring strong links between subjects and helping children understand how knowledge connects.
Where possible, meaningful links to other areas of the curriculum are made. For example, the cooking and nutrition project Eat the Seasons is taught alongside the geography project Sow, Grow and Farm, enabling children to apply their learning in real and relevant contexts.
All projects follow a clear structure where children are introduced to key concepts and gradually build their knowledge and skills. As they progress through school, they use an increasingly wide range of equipment and techniques, including building, cutting, joining, finishing and cooking.
Each project includes focused, practical tasks to develop key skills before children complete their final innovative outcome independently. Throughout Key Stages 1 and 2, children develop their understanding of the iterative design process, learning to design, make, test and evaluate their products against specific criteria.
Children are consistently taught to work safely and hygienically, particularly when using tools and preparing food.
Key Stage 1
In the autumn term of Year 1, children begin by learning about structures in Shade and Shelter, where they design and make a simple shelter.
In the spring term project Taxi!, they are introduced to mechanisms, assembling and testing wheels and axles.
In the summer term, children explore food in Chop, Slice and Mash, learning about food sources and using simple preparation techniques to make a supermarket sandwich.
In Year 2, children build on this learning. In Remarkable Recipes, they develop their understanding of food, following recipes and using simple cooking techniques.
In the spring term project Beach Hut, children extend their knowledge of structures, learning how to cut, join and strengthen wood.
In the summer term, children develop their understanding of textiles in Cut, Stitch and Join, learning to sew a running stitch, use pattern pieces and add simple embellishments. They also continue exploring mechanisms in Push and Pull, using sliders, levers and linkages.
Lower Key Stage 2
In Year 3, children develop their understanding of cooking and nutrition in Cook Well, Eatwell, learning about balanced diets and preparing healthy meals.
In the spring term project Making It Move, they extend their knowledge of mechanisms by exploring cams and creating automaton toys using a range of joining and finishing techniques.
In the summer term project Greenhouse, children further develop their understanding of structures, using shapes such as triangles and braces to strengthen their designs. They apply their scientific knowledge of plants and materials to design and build a greenhouse.
In Year 4, children continue to build their knowledge. In Fresh Food, Good Food, they learn about food safety and preservation before designing packaging for a healthy product.
In Functional and Fancy Fabrics, children explore textiles further, learning about designers such as William Morris before creating and finishing their own fabric pieces.
In the summer term project Tomb Builders, children develop their understanding of mechanisms, exploring simple machines and creating prototypes that lift or move objects. They also begin to apply their understanding of electrical systems through linked science learning.
Upper Key Stage 2
In Year 5, children deepen their understanding of mechanisms in Moving Mechanisms, exploring pneumatic systems and creating functional prototypes.
In the spring term project Eat the Seasons, children further develop their understanding of food and nutrition, learning about seasonal foods and making informed choices about healthy eating.
In the summer term project Architecture, children explore structures in greater depth, studying architectural design and developing strong, stable models using a range of materials and techniques, including computer-aided design.
In Year 6, children build on their knowledge further. In Food for Life, they explore processed and unprocessed foods and design healthy menus.
In the spring term project Engineer, children bring together their knowledge of structures, strengthening techniques and electrical systems to complete a bridge-building challenge.
In the summer term project Make Do and Mend, children extend their textile skills, learning new stitches and creating more complex products using pattern pieces.
Impact
By the time children leave St Paul’s, they have developed:
- A secure understanding of the design, make and evaluate process
- Practical skills across a range of areas, including structures, mechanisms, textiles and cooking
- The ability to use tools and equipment safely and effectively
- An understanding of how design and technology is used in real-life contexts
Children can:
- Design purposeful products for a specific user and outcome
- Select and use appropriate materials and techniques
- Evaluate and improve their work based on clear criteria
- Apply knowledge from other subjects, including science and geography, to inform their designs
Children build and retain skills over time, developing increasing independence and confidence as designers and makers.
Most importantly, children develop creativity, resilience and problem-solving skills, enabling them to think critically and approach challenges with confidence.