Design and Technology

At Leopold Primary School, we believe that Design and Technology (DT) education equips our pupils with the skills, knowledge, and creativity to become innovative problem-solvers and designers of the future. Our DT curriculum inspires children to think critically, work practically, and develop solutions to real-world challenges. We aim to nurture resilience, technical competence and an entrepreneurial spirit in all of our pupils.

We use Kapow Primary Design and Technology to support the planning and delivery of our curriculum. This provides a progressive, well-sequenced approach to developing pupils’ knowledge, practical skills and understanding of the design process, while enabling teachers to adapt learning to meet the needs and interests of our children.

Intent

Our Design and Technology curriculum is designed to:

Develop practical skills – Pupils learn to use tools, equipment and materials safely and effectively to create high-quality products
Foster creativity and innovation – Children explore design possibilities, generate original ideas and develop solutions to authentic problems
Build technical knowledge – Pupils understand how products work, the materials and components used, and the principles behind structures, mechanisms, and systems
Encourage critical thinking – Children learn to evaluate existing products, refine their own designs, and make informed decisions throughout the design process
Promote resilience and problem-solving – DT provides opportunities for pupils to persevere, adapt their approaches, and learn from mistakes
Connect learning to real life – Pupils understand how Design and Technology impacts everyday life and develop an awareness of the work of designers, engineers, inventors, manufacturers and chefs.
Develop confident and independent designers – Pupils are encouraged to make purposeful choices, take creative risks and reflect on how their designs can be developed and improved.

Implementation

How We Teach Design and Technology

Our curriculum is supported by Kapow Primary Design and Technology, which provides a clear progression of knowledge and skills and enables pupils to experience a broad range of designing and making opportunities. Teachers use Kapow as the foundation for high-quality DT teaching, adapting learning where appropriate to reflect our pupils, school community and wider curriculum.

The Design Process

Pupils experience an iterative design process in which they explore, design, make and evaluate. They are encouraged to revisit and refine their ideas as their knowledge and understanding develop.

Research and Explore – Pupils investigate existing products, consider their purpose and users, and explore materials, components and techniques through practical experimentation.

Design – Children generate creative ideas, develop design criteria based on purpose and user, and communicate their ideas through drawings, diagrams, templates, models and prototypes as appropriate to their age and project.

Make – Pupils select and use appropriate tools, equipment, materials and components to create purposeful products, applying and refining their technical skills.

Evaluate – Children test and evaluate their products against their design criteria, consider the views of others where appropriate, and identify ways in which their designs could be improved.

Structured Progression

Kapow supports clear progression from EYFS through to Year 6, enabling pupils to revisit and build upon previously learned knowledge and skills. Learning is carefully sequenced so that children become increasingly confident, accurate and independent when designing, making and evaluating.

Key Skills and Knowledge Areas

Throughout their time at Leopold Primary School, pupils develop knowledge and skills across key areas of Design and Technology, including:

Structures – Creating increasingly stable and strong structures and developing knowledge of construction and joining techniques using a range of materials.
Mechanisms and Mechanical Systems – Exploring and creating movement through mechanisms such as levers, linkages, wheels and axles and, as pupils progress, developing their understanding of more complex mechanical systems.
Textiles – Developing skills in working with fabrics, including cutting, joining, sewing and decorating, and selecting appropriate techniques for a particular purpose.
Electrical Systems (Key Stage 2) – Understanding electrical systems and incorporating components such as circuits and switches safely and purposefully within designs.
Food and Nutrition – Developing essential life skills through understanding healthy and varied diets, food provenance, preparation and cooking techniques, and food hygiene and safety.
Digital and Technological Understanding – Where appropriate within the Kapow curriculum, pupils explore how digital technologies can contribute to the design and creation of products.

Technical Skills Development

Pupils progressively develop the safe and competent use of appropriate tools and equipment for cutting, joining, shaping, measuring, preparing food and working with textiles.

As pupils progress through the school, they are expected to make increasingly independent choices about the tools, materials, components and techniques that are most appropriate for their intended outcome.

Impact

We assess the impact of our Design and Technology curriculum through observation, discussion and evaluation of pupils’ designing and making. Teachers consider pupils’ ability to apply previously learned knowledge and skills, explain their design decisions, work safely and purposefully, and evaluate and improve their outcomes.

By the time pupils leave Leopold Primary School, we aim for them to:

Have developed confidence and competence in designing and making purposeful, functional products.
Possess a strong foundation in technical knowledge and practical skills across structures, mechanisms, textiles, electrical systems and food and nutrition.
Understand and apply an iterative design process to solve problems creatively.
Be able to evaluate products critically, considering functionality, aesthetics, user needs and, where appropriate, sustainability.
Have knowledge of healthy eating and develop the practical skills and confidence needed to prepare a range of food safely.
Understand how Design and Technology contributes to society, innovation and the wider world.
Apply practical skills, creative thinking, problem-solving and resilience to new challenges.
Be well prepared to continue their Design and Technology learning at secondary school.
Have developed an appreciation of well-designed products and the people involved in designing, engineering, making and preparing them.
See themselves as capable designers and makers who can use their ideas and skills to solve problems and improve the world around them.

Enrichment Opportunities

We seek opportunities to enhance our Design and Technology curriculum through:

DT clubs and extracurricular activities – Opportunities such as cooking, construction challenges and creative making.
Educational visits – Visits to relevant museums, farms, businesses and other settings that help pupils understand Design and Technology in the wider world.
Displays and exhibitions – Showcasing pupils’ designs and finished products throughout the school and during celebration events.
Cross-curricular opportunities – Making meaningful connections with subjects such as science, computing, mathematics, art and design, geography and history where these strengthen pupils’ DT learning.

Supporting Your Child's DT Development

Parents and carers can support their child's learning by:

Encouraging making at home – Providing opportunities for children to design and create using household materials
Involving children in cooking – Including them in meal planning, shopping, and food preparation
Discussing design – Talking about how everyday products are designed and made, and what makes them effective
Exploring together – Visiting museums, exhibitions, and places of interest related to design, engineering, and food
Providing tools and materials – Allowing safe, supervised use of age-appropriate tools and craft materials
Celebrating effort – Praising perseverance and problem-solving, not just the finished product
Asking questions – Encouraging children to think about how things work and how they could be improved