Summary:the well-structured spiral curriculum effectively enables all pupils to build upon and apply their prior knowledge and learning of key concepts to problem-solving scenarios. Skills are built progressively beginning with the exploration and manipulation of tools that develops into designing and constructing for a specific purpose. As they progress, they refine their designs with detailed sketches and prototypes using a wider range of materials and tools with greater precision enabling them to develop a broad range of technical knowledge; such knowledge includes understanding the principles of healthy eating, learning how to create a strong, stable structures and recognising appropriate materials for specific tasks. In addition, through collaborative projects, pupils develop valuable teamwork skills and are able to work together developing their communication and creativity. Progressively pupils are able to tackle complex design challenges, combining their ideas with technical understanding to produce functional, user-centered solutions. Pupils build confidence, resilience and a deeper understanding of design principles, culminating in well-rounded problem solving skills.

Design and Technology National Curriculum Concepts

                                                                                                                                                                                 Reception pupils exploring expressive design through drawing and mark making to express their ideas and plan simple designs. Pupils begin to experiment with a range of tools, equipment and materials to support their final products.

This links to Year 1 work on design through the use of more purposeful drawings to plan and refine their designs. They begin to delve deeper their design ideas through understanding the shape and function of their product.

EYFS:

Expressive art and design

Year 1:

Design

Year 1 learners using design to generate ideas and communicate their ideas through drawing. Pupils begin to identify and understand ‘how’ and ‘why’ they would like to design their product through the manipulation of different materials and tools.

 This links to Year 3 work on design where pupils begin to generate their own ideas through the collection of other people’s views and ideas. 

Year 2:

Technology

Year 2 learners using technology to recognise different resources. Pupils recognise and identify both abstract and concrete resources used for making a product. This is supported through the exploration of the elements of different resources and applying these processes of planning, organising and quality control into their work.

 This links to Year 4 work on technology where pupils recognise different resources dependent on their properties and criteria.

Year 3:

Design

 Year 3 learners are building on their understanding of design through initial design plans using words, labels and sketches, while considering how adjustments might be made to suit different users. Pupils use their designs to suggest modifications to enhance usability and communicate these changes effectively through both visual and verbal explanations.

 This links to Year 5 work on design where pupils progress to using a range of sources to generate their ideas. 

Year 4:

Technology

Year 4 pupils are building on the use of technology through working collaboratively in a team to understand the meaning of delegation. Pupils begin to understand the different roles and team members needed to create a product whilst understanding the processes used in the production of a product.

This links to Year 6 work on technology where pupils build on teamwork through seeing a project from the design to evaluation stage. 

Year 5:

Design

Year 5 pupils learn to clarify and refine their design ideas by exploring designs through conversations, drawings, models and prototypes that focuses on both the appearance and practicality. Pupils build on the design process through being able to adapt and modify their products throughout the process to ensure it meets the success criteria.

Year 6:

Technology

Year 6 pupils continue to build on the use of technology through the use of teamwork. Pupils begin to delve into understanding real-world situations through identifying and working with abstract constraints with a user-centered perspective.