Design and Technology
Intent
Design and technology at Bishop Aldhelm’s Primary School is an inspiring and practical subject that celebrates children’s creativity and imagination. Both as individuals and as part of a group, children take pride in designing purposeful and appealing products that show consideration of their own and others’ needs, wants and values. This involves the exploration of a range of topics including mechanisms, structures, textiles and food technology. We recognise that these skills help to prepare children to be secure and confident in a changing and increasingly technological world.
Implementation
At Bishop Aldhelm’s school, to innovate, and therefore improve and make something better, is a key aspect of the children’s DT learning. The children are given opportunities to reflect upon and evaluate current products and consider their effectiveness. Children become innovators by conducting research and asking questions to develop a detailed knowledge of users’ needs before considering how to design and create suitable products that meet a design brief. Resilience and perseverance are key characteristics that are developed and celebrated during DT lessons at Bishop Aldhelm’s. From Foundation through to Year Six, pupils are supported to use real tools as they learn how to take risks and become resourceful, innovative and capable citizens.
In DT, our curriculum develops children’s knowledge through the following concepts:
- Investigate
- Design
- Make
- Evaluate
Impact
At the end of year 6, the children will be able to:
- Skills Development: Pupils progressively build technical skills such as measuring, cutting, joining, and assembling, while also learning about mechanisms, structures, textiles, and food technology.
- Problem Solving: D&T nurtures resilience and perseverance as pupils explore solutions, test ideas, and reflect on outcomes. This encourages independence and innovation.
- Cross-Curricular Links: The subject strengthens learning in maths (measuring, geometry), science (materials, forces, nutrition), and computing (programming in KS2), making learning meaningful and interconnected.
- Health and Wellbeing: Through food and nutrition units, children gain an understanding of healthy eating, fostering life-long habits that support physical wellbeing.
- Cultural and Environmental Awareness: Pupils explore sustainability, materials, and cultural influences in design, helping them become informed global citizens.
Design and Technology at Bishop Aldhelm’s empowers pupils to become creative thinkers and practical problem-solvers, preparing them for future learning and real-world challenges.