Design Technology

Aim: That pupils can evaluate, design and build to meet a challenge

We have designed a vocabulary rich curriculum that connects learning by building an understanding of ideas, concepts, chronology and themes through the framework of ‘here, there and then, now, next’. These thinking threads link learning meaningfully to create opportunities to learn from the past and present as well as equipping children for an ever-changing and exciting future.

In DT, we design and create solutions for the here and now, learning from inventions of then, and imagining what can be achieved next through innovation and practical skills.

Our curriculum is structured and supported through the use of a published scheme – Kapow DT. We have chosen this scheme of work to inspire pupils to be innovative and creative thinkers who have an appreciation for the product design cycle through ideation, creation and evaluation. We want pupils to develop the confidence to take risks, through drafting design concepts, modelling and testing and to be reflective learners who evaluate their work and the work of others. Through our curriculum, we aim to build awareness of the impact of design and technology on our lives and encourage pupils to become resourceful, enterprising citizens who will have the skills to contribute to future design advancements.

Through Kapow Primary’s Design and technology scheme, pupils respond to design briefs and scenarios that require consideration of the needs of others, developing their skills in six key areas.

  • Mechanisms
  • Structures
  • Textiles
  • Cooking and nutrition (food)
  • Electrical systems (KS2)
  • Digital World (KS2)

Each of the key areas follows the design process (design, make, evaluate) and has a particular theme and focus from the technical knowledge or cooking and nutrition section of the curriculum. The Kapow Primary scheme is a spiral curriculum, with key areas revisited again and again with increasing complexity., allowing pupils to revisit and build in their previous learning.