Design and Technology aims to provide pupils with a variety of creative and practical activities, which will allow them to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in the process of designing and making.

At Sacred Heart, our intent is to follow a Design and Technology curriculum which develops learning and results in the acquisition and progression of knowledge and skills which prepare our pupils for the next stage of their learning.

At Sacred Heart, our curriculum learning is topic based and cross curricular. Pupils will develop the appropriate skills, knowledge and understanding as set out in the National Curriculum through carefully planned and relevant projects linked to their current learning.

At Sacred Heart, this approach is implemented in the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) through the Early Years curriculum, where children learn actively through play. Here pupils are given support to develop the necessary physical skills and scaffolding to think creatively and critically to plan, do, and review supported by the practitioners.

The National Curriculum 2014 will be covered in full in KS1 and KS2 and pupils will have opportunities for developing their skills in English, Mathematics, Science and Computing while carrying out their projects. Projects will have a clear structure and learning objective based on correct language, terminology, skills progression and acquisition of knowledge and understanding.

At KS1 pupils will design purposeful, functional products, make them from a selection of materials, using appropriate tools and equipment. They will evaluate similar, existing products and finally, evaluate their own product against their initial design criteria.

At KS2, pupils will carry out research to inform their design of innovative, functional and appealing products that are for for purpose and the end user. They will use a wider range of materials, tools and equipment. They will critque and evaluate  existing products and their final product against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work. They will investigate the work of people and key events in Design and Technology and understand their effect on the world.

Pupils will be taught about any health and safety issues pertaining to any tasks undertaken. Pupils will be given opportunities to learn collaboratively as part of a team or independently to develop their problem solving and team building skills. They will have the opportunity to use a range of materials creatively to design and make products. In cooking and nutrition pupils will develop lifelong skills of cooking and foster an enjoyment of this. In KS1 pupils learn where food comes from and the basic principles of a healthy, varied diet and apply their knowledge to prepare healthy dishes. In KS2 pupils pupils understand the principles of a healthy and varied diet and apply this to prepare and cook healthy and varied dishes using a range of cooking techniques, Pupils understand seasonality and where and how some ingredients are grown, reared and processed.

The impact for Sacred Heart will be that pupils:

• Confidently apply the skills, knowledge and understanding learned in Design and Technology to other areas of the curriculum and outside of school
• Progress through the school acquiring the language, skills, knowledge and understanding appropriate for their level and be able to apply this in subsequent year groups and when they transition to the next stages of their learning
• Approach Design and Technology tasks confidently and with enjoyment, secure in their ability to select and use tools and equipment safely, explaining the process articulately using the correct language and terminology
• Are able to follow the design process effectively and independently to create products that are functional, purposeful and pleasing
• Understand the principles of a healthy and varied diet and apply these to plan and create dishes

The future belongs to young people with an education and the imagination to create.

President Barack Obama

More Information

The following documents outline the content of the Design and Technology Curriculum that is taught in school. These documents should be read in conjunction with the Termly Curriculum Outlines, as these provide more detailed information of how these topics are taught.

National Curriculum 2014 Design and Technology KS1 and KS2

Early Years Foundation Stage Profile 2023