Design Technology

At St John’s CE Primary School, our curriculum is designed to inspire lifelong learning and is anchored by our core motto: "The JOY of the Lord is Your Strength" (Jesus, Others, Yourself). We deliver an ambitious, sequentially structured, and inclusive education that celebrates the unique identity of every child. By blending a rigorous academic foundation with deep spiritual, moral, and social development, we nurture the curiosity, resilience, and confidence pupils need to flourish. Rooted in our strong Christian family ethos, our curriculum ensures that learning is accessible to all, fostering an environment where differences are celebrated and every individual is fully equipped to realise their God-given potential.

Our Intent

Our intent is to encourage children to foster an interest in designing and making, whilst developing their curiosity about how different technologies operate within the wider world around them. This allows children to utilise their own creativity and imagination to design, make and evaluate real-life products that have been carefully selected to make cross-curricular links.  From Reception to Year 6, children are immersed in progressive units of work which build their skills and knowledge and encourage them to ‘think like a designer’. Each unit follows a clear design process adhering to a strict design brief; through discussion and research, designing and making, evaluating and modifying their work, children record their achievements in individual booklets.

Our Implementation

We are a member of the Design and Technology Association (DATA) and utilise their schemes of work alongside those from Kapow and PlanBee which allow us to cover all content in the National Curriculum.  Bespoke knowledge mats are produced for each subject identifying prior and future learning opportunities, key vocabulary and key learning to be assessed as part of the unit of work.  Teachers plan design technology lessons according to our agreed school structure of: Revisit, Teach, Apply, Plenary.

Children start their design technology journey in Reception where children are specifically taught a range of skills which are essential for future learning in design technology. This includes the ability to make choices about the materials and joiners they utilise in the junk modelling area or practising fine motor skills using one-hand tools such as scissors.

Throughout Key Stage 1 and 2 children explore three design technology projects per year which help them:

·         develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world

·         build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users

·         critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others

·         understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.

These projects fall under the umbrella of mechanical systems, structures, electrical systems, textiles and food.  At the end of their journey at St. John’s we want our pupils to have designed and created a range of projects which have created, for them, a desire to explore this wonderful subject further at high school and beyond!

Believe you can and you will…