Design Technology
NB Whilst we transition to our new 'Cornerstones 22' Curriculum, we are ensuring we have completed all the necessary learning for 2021-2022. As a result, Summer 1 is an exciting time of immersion into Design and Technology. Below is the plan.
DT Knowledge Organisers Summer 1
Design and Technology Curriculum Overview
Design and technology 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.
Each project is based around a design and technology subject focus of structures, mechanisms, cooking and
nutrition or textiles. The design and technology curriculum’s electronic systems and IT monitoring and control
elements are explicitly taught in our science projects to ensure the links between the subjects are highlighted.
Where possible, meaningful links to other areas of the curriculum have been made. For example, the cooking
and nutrition project Eat the Seasons is taught alongside the geography project Sow, Grow and Farm. All the
projects follow a structure where children are introduced to key concepts and build up knowledge and skills
over time, using a more comprehensive range of equipment and building, cutting, joining, finishing and cooking
techniques as they progress through school.
All projects contain focused, practical tasks in the Develop stage to help children gain the knowledge and skills
needed to complete their Innovate tasks independently.
Throughout Key Stages 1 and 2, children build up their knowledge and understanding of the iterative design
process. They design, make, test and evaluate their products to match specific design criteria and ensure they
fit their purpose. Throughout the projects, children are taught to work hygienically and safely.
Key Stage 1
In the autumn term of Year 1, children begin to learn about structures in the project Shade and Shelter before
designing and making a shelter. In the spring term project Taxi!, they learn the term ‘mechanism’ and assemble
and test wheels and axles. In the summer term, children begin to learn about food sources in the project Chop,
Slice and Mash and use simple preparation techniques to create a supermarket sandwich.
In the autumn term of Year 2, children learn more about food in the project Remarkable Recipes, where they
find out about food sources, follow recipes and learn simple cooking techniques. In the spring term project
Beach Hut, children develop their knowledge of structures further, learning to cut, join and strengthen wood
for the first time. In the summer term, children begin to develop their understanding of textiles in Cut, Stitch
and Join. They learn to sew a simple running stitch, use pattern pieces and add simple embellishments. They
also continue to learn about mechanisms in the project Push and Pull by using sliders, levers and linkages in
products.
Lower Key Stage 2
In the autumn term of Year 3, children continue to learn about food, understanding the concept of a
balanced diet and making healthy meals in the project Cook Well, Eatwell. In the spring term project Making it
Move, children extend their understanding of mechanisms by exploring cams and using joining and finishing
techniques to make automaton toys. In the summer term project Greenhouse, they continue to develop their
knowledge of structures, using triangles and braces for strength. They design and build a greenhouse, using
their understanding of opacity and transparency and the needs of plants from science learning to inform their
design.
In the autumn term of Year 4, children continue to develop their understanding of food in the project Fresh
Food, Good Food. They learn about food safety and preservation technologies before designing and making
packaging for a healthy snack. During the spring term project Functional and Fancy Fabrics, children continue to
explore textiles, learning about the work of William Morris before designing, embellishing and finishing a fabric
sample. In the summer term project Tomb Builders, they build on their knowledge of mechanisms, learning
about six simple machines and using their knowledge to create a lifting or moving device prototype. They also
explore and use electrical systems and IT monitoring and control in the science project Electricity for the first
time.
Upper Key Stage 2
In the autumn term of Year 5, children deepen their understanding of mechanisms by studying pneumatic
systems in the project Moving Mechanisms. They learn about the forces at play and create a prototype for a
functional, pneumatic machine. In the spring term project Eat the Seasons, children continue to explore food
and nutrition, learning about seasonal foods and the benefits of eating seasonally. In the summer term, they
learn more about structures in the project Architecture, studying the history of architecture and developing
new ways to create structural strength and stability. They use computer-aided design and consolidate their
making skills to produce scale models. They also explore the electrical conductivity of materials before making
products incorporating circuits in the science project Properties and changes of materials.
In the autumn term of Year 6, children learn about processed and whole foods in the project Food for Life,
creating healthy menus from unprocessed foods. In the spring term project Engineer, children consolidate
their knowledge of structures, joining and strengthening techniques and electrical systems by completing a
bridge-building challenge. In the summer term project Make Do and Mend, they extend their knowledge of
textiles by learning new stitches to join fabrics and using pattern pieces to create a range of products.
Throughout the design and technology scheme, there is complete coverage of all national curriculum
programmes of study.
Our Design and Technology curriculum aims to inspire children through a broad range of practical experiences to create innovative designs which solve real and relevant problems within a variety of different contexts. The iterative design process is fundamental and runs throughout our learning. This process encourages children to identify real and relevant problems, critically evaluate existing products and then take risks and innovate when designing and creating solutions to the problems. As part of the iterative process, time is built in to reflect, evaluate and improve on prototypes using design criteria throughout to support this process. We provide opportunities for children to evaluate key events and individuals who have helped shape the world, showing the real impact of design and technology on the wider environment and helping to inspire children to become the next generation of innovators.
Golden Threads
Spirituality – appreciate that life is bigger that we can think, it’s also bigger than we can imagine. Design is a great way to go beyond the thinkable. How ethical design decisions impact the world we live in.
Diversity – offer opportunities to explore the work of designers and designs from different times and cultures and that great design makes the world accessible to all.
Ambition - ignite curiosity in the children of how design is rapidly changing our lives and they can be part of the future of this journey.