Design & Technology
At St. Paul’s, we aim to provide a high-quality Design & Technology education which inspires pupils to use creativity and imagination, when designing and making products. It enables children to solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, through investigation and evaluation techniques.
The Design & Technology curriculum at St. Paul’s is planned around the 6 key elements:
- Food and Nutrition
- Structures
- Mechanisms
- Textiles
- Electrical systems
- Understanding materials
Enquiry begins in the Early Years, as the children begin to explore different materials freely. Our children in Early Years explore different techniques of how to join and connect materials together, while using a range of tools.
In Key Stage 1, children begin to generate, develop, and communicate their ideas, through a range of different units. They begin to learn about the range of techniques required for designing, making, and evaluating and how to experiment with templates and mock-ups. Children in Key Stage 1 have the opportunity to build structures and explore the use of mechanisms including levers, wheels, and axles.
As children move into Key Stage 2, they continue to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding across the 6 key elements. Children are given regular opportunities to experiment and develop their creativity, using a specific design criterion and communicating their ideas through discussion. They will create prototypes, experiment with a wide range of tools and be given opportunities to revisit skills from previous years.
curriculum overview design and technology.pdf