D&T links closely with the year group topics and is combined with ‘best practice’ guidelines to ensure that our children develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world. We also teach them to understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook. 

Children build upon prior learning to 8 give a progression through year groups. They are given the opportunity to work as a class, as part of a group or as an individual. In each D&T project, the children explore and evaluate existing products through discussing their design and the materials used. Skills are taught through focused practical tasks and are incorporated into appropriate design-and-make projects. 

Through identifying needs and problems, children create their own design opportunities. They also learn that it is possible to bring about purposeful change to the world. Children are encouraged to plan in a variety of ways and to record these plans either on paper or on the computer. 

We recognise that it is important to evaluate at each step of the process and encourage the children to see that amending a design is something positive which all designers do. We encourage children to be responsible in their designs and their safe use of tools and materials and foster a sense of pride in their finished work through careful display and through sharing their expertise. 

Miss S Watkins is the Subject Leader for Design Technology.