Design and Technology

What does DT look like at St. Paul's?

The value of a high-quality Design and Technology curriculum cannot be underestimated, and here at St Paul’s we understand the opportunities it creates to teach a broad range of knowledge, skills and understanding of the world.

Opportunities are provided for children to evaluate key events and individuals who have helped shape the world, showing the real impact of design and technology on the wider environment and helping to inspire children to become the next generation of innovators.

In DT, children can develop their researching, designing, making and evaluating skills as well as enhancing their technical knowledge through a range of activities. From EYFS to KS2, children progress and finesse their practical skills, tackling a range of projects and solving problems using their own and others’ experiences, ideas and evaluations. Not only do we develop their practical skills, but through thorough evaluation of their own and existing products, our children can become analytical thinkers, problem solvers and risk-takers.

Year 6 have been researching examples of WW2 meals. They designed fantastic research and product design pages.

Year 5 have been exploring and researching Anglo-Saxon houses. They created their own structure by choosing appropriate resources and cutting them to the correct size. After making their structure, they evaluated their products by rating their purpose, innovation and functionality etc.

Year 1 have been exploring freestanding structures and designing their own houses based on the artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Year 1 researched a variety of examples of houses and structures and created a moodboard before creating their structure through junk modelling.

DT in EYFS

DT in EYFS is covered through 'Development Matters' as opposed to the National Curriculum for KS1 & KS2. Children are exposed to a variety of adult-led DT activities linked to topics as well as expressive arts and design continuous provision activities. Here Reception have created fairytale houses in groups linked to their topic and Nursery have made their own gingerbread men. The key skills related to DT in EYFS are listed below.

Enrichment Activities

Support for Parents

There are many reasons why parental involvement with DT work is valuable:

• DT Provides a real life context. It is hands on and linked to everyday objects. Parents can connect classroom experiences to a home environment.

• Skill sharing: Parents might have practical skills (craft, cooking, electronics, sewing) they can bring into school or support at home. Please speak to your child's class teacher if you can help or assist with sharing any important skills with our children.

• It encourages problem-solving: Supporting home design tasks will help encourage collaborative problem-solving, communication, and creativity.

There are many ways you can help support your child's DT learning at home:

• Complete DT homework tasks that may be set by your child's class teacher.

• Encourage your child to take an active part in cooking and preparing food at home, practicing key skills they will need in later life.

Here are some helpful websites for you to look at which will provide more information about how DT is taught in primary school and activities to try at home.

Design and Technology Association

Topmarks DT - Games and Learning resources to practice at home

BBC Teach DT - Videos and ideas

Design and Craft Ideas to try at home

BBC Good Food - No cook recipes

FREE STEM Resources for home

Pictures of Work

For more detailed information about the curriculum in each year group, please visit our Curriculum at St. Paul's page.