Design and Technology

Design Technology at Saughall All Saints CE Primary School

We all love, learn and grow together. Mark 12:31 'Love your neighbour as yourself.'

Intent

At Saughall All Saints Primary School, our intention is to provide a high‑quality Design and Technology curriculum that promotes creativity, imagination and purposeful learning We aim to equip all pupils with the skills and knowledge needed to design and make products with a clear purpose that can be used in everyday life - Making products for someone for a purpose.

Wherever possible, learning is meaningfully linked to other subjects such as mathematics, science, computing and art. Pupils are encouraged to explore, reflect upon and evaluate both past and present designs, understanding how technology has shaped the world around them.

Design and Technology is taught in all year groups through discrete units or cross‑curricular projects. By the time pupils reach Year 6, they will have experienced a broad range of DT strands including food technology, textiles, mechanisms, structures and electrical systems. They will be able to confidently perform everyday practical tasks and apply their knowledge, understanding and skills with increasing independence.

Implementation

EYFS

In EYFS, children are introduced to key DT skills through teacher‑led modelling and discussion at the start of the week. These skills are then embedded through daily opportunities in the continuous provision. Pupils explore materials, practise joining techniques, experiment with construction and begin to design with purpose. The environment encourages curiosity, independence and hands‑on learning.

Key Stage One

In Key Stage One, pupils are taught specific skills in textiles, construction, mechanisms and food and nutrition. Where possible, pupils learn about the work of architects, engineers and designers, using these examples to inspire their own ideas.

Design and Technology is often linked to topic work to provide meaningful context. For example, in Years 1 and 2, pupils design and make houses during a history unit on ‘The Great Fire of London’ All projects follow a clear design cycle:

research → plan → make → evaluate.

Pupils explore existing products, design their own, create a final piece and evaluate both their own and others’ work.

Key Stage Two

In Key Stage Two, pupils continue to develop and refine the skills introduced in Key Stage One. DT remains linked to wider curriculum topics where appropriate and is usually taught in focused blocks over one or two days, allowing pupils to immerse themselves fully in the design process.

Pupils follow the same design cycle as in KS1 but are expected to research, plan and problem‑solve with increasing independence. Projects are purposeful and often linked to real‑life needs. For example:

In Years 3 and 4, pupils design and make an electrical game.

In Years 5 and 6, pupils construct model bridges as part of their Rivers topic.

Where appropriate, outside agencies enrich learning. For example, in Years 5 and 6, pupils learn about Greek food and cooking techniques with the Fun Food Chef.

Across Key Stage Two, pupils deepen their understanding of materials, structures, mechanisms, electrical systems and food technology. They develop resilience, creativity and the ability to evaluate and improve their work thoughtfully.