Design Technology
Our Whole School Design and Technology Overview
Design and Technology at Drighlington Primary School
At Drighlington Primary, we believe Design and Technology (DT) gives children the opportunity to be creative, practical and innovative. Through designing and making, children learn how to solve real-life problems, think carefully about their ideas and create products that have a purpose.
We want our children to understand how things work and to develop the skills they need for the future. DT helps prepare them for a rapidly changing world, where creativity, problem-solving and practical skills are more important than ever.
“Design and technology should be the subject where bright ideas turn into useful products.” – James Dyson
What does Design and Technology look like in our school?
DT at Drighlington is hands-on, practical and purposeful. Children follow a clear process of designing, making and evaluating, which helps them understand how ideas develop into finished products.
In lessons, children are encouraged to think carefully about the purpose of what they are creating and who it is for. They explore materials, test ideas and learn that making mistakes is an important part of learning and improving their designs.
Children develop a range of practical skills as they work with different materials and tools. They learn how to handle equipment safely and confidently, and how to adapt their ideas as they go. There is a strong focus on independence, with children encouraged to take ownership of their work, as well as opportunities to collaborate and work as part of a team.
Each lesson builds on prior learning, with opportunities for retrieval and revisiting key skills, helping children to strengthen their understanding over time.
Food and healthy living
Food technology is an important part of our DT curriculum. Children learn how to prepare and cook simple dishes, while also developing an understanding of healthy eating and hygiene.
These experiences help children to build essential life skills and make informed choices about their health and wellbeing.
Learning beyond the lesson
DT is closely linked to other areas of the curriculum, helping children to apply their learning in meaningful ways. For example, they may design products linked to history topics or use their mathematical skills when measuring and constructing.
Children also learn how design is used in the real world, helping them to understand how products are created and improved. This gives them an insight into future careers such as engineering, product design and construction.
Our aim
We want every child to:
- Be confident in designing and making
- Develop practical skills for everyday life
- Think creatively and solve problems
- Understand how products are designed and used
- Take pride in their work and achievements
How you can help your child at home
Partnerships with parents and carers is an important part of Drighlington Primary School. Working closely with parents enables us to ensure parents feel confident that their child is safe, well looked and is receiving a high quality education during their school hours. The links below offer a range of resources that may also be useful to families.
https://www.stem.org.uk/primary-dt-resources
https://www.teachit.co.uk/primary/design-and-technology
Places to visit
Paint your own pots https://www.craftyowlspottery.com/
Fun activities https://www.thecreationstation.co.uk/
Further support and useful weblinks
Early Years Development Matters
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum
HowStuffWorks websiteHowstuffworks is a great website to encourage questioning, which is recommended to use with an adult. They post relevant articles which you can discuss with your child.
Lego KidsLego! You might not expect it, but Lego is a great way to encourage designing for a purpose and evaluating their design. This site has lots of fun activities online and challenges for you to try at home.
TopMarks design gamesThis is a collection of games and activities for design and technology.
FunkidsliveFunkidslive is a great website for kids! It has a kids radio station and this page has some great articles designed to stimulate questions.
