Design technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. We provide pupils with opportunities to use creativity and imagination, via the designing and making of products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. In addition, pupils acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of society.

Chris Quigley ‘Essentials Curriculum’ provides the base for developing learning in this subject area and includes:

• Essential Characteristics which are the characteristics required to be successful and to achieve within each subject.
• Essential Opportunities which lists the content of what we teach.
• Essential Learning Objective which identifies and defines the learning objectives which are essential to support a culture of deep learning for all our children.
• Essentials for Progress which lists the milestones within the curriculum which will enable us to measure progress.

Children are expected to reach milestone 1 by the end of Year 2, milestone 2 by the end of Year 4 and milestone 3 by the end of Year 6. The milestones use the National Curriculum as a reference point but in most subjects are far more ambitious supporting our high expectations and opportunities for challenge. We also use the DT Association Projects on a Page to help create meaningful learning opportunities.

Children are block taught process and skills in appropriate topics to allow for meaningful and authentic application. The DT Processes are: Explore, Design, Plan, Make and Evaluate. In addition, the children are given opportunities to develop and master the practical DT skills of Food, Textiles, Mechanics, Electrics and Electronics and Construction. In Year 5/6 the children also apply their DT learning in Computing. Skills and processes are built upon each year giving children opportunity to come back and take their learning further.

Deign Technology learning is recorded in the children’s Topic books. This might be shown in a variety of different ways such as tables, posters, observational drawings or graphs, annotated photographs etc.

Each lesson is identified with the subject heading of DT and WALT statement that is taken from each year groups small steps progression document. Each WALT statement is a small step towards the children achieving the milestone for that subject. These WALT statements are then highlighted in the children’s books and the attainment is then recorded on the DT part Target Tracker.