Design & Technology
"Designing, Creating and Innovating for the Future"
At St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, we believe that Design and Technology inspires children to become creative thinkers, problem solvers and innovators. Through practical, hands-on experiences, our pupils learn how ideas can be transformed into real products that improve lives and solve everyday problems. Rooted in our Catholic values, we encourage children to use their God-given talents to create, design and work collaboratively whilst showing perseverance, respect and resilience.
Intent
Design and Technology is taught as a discrete subject across the school. We aim to provide our children with a Design and Technology education that is relevant in our rapidly changing world. At St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, we believe that children have an innate curiosity about how and why things work.
To develop each child's full potential as a designer and maker, we ensure continuity, progression, breadth and balance throughout our curriculum. We want our children to become confident problem solvers who can work creatively both independently and as part of a team. Through high-quality Design and Technology lessons, pupils are inspired to think innovatively, develop technical knowledge and apply practical skills to real-life challenges.
Our curriculum provides opportunities for children to:
Research and investigate existing products and designs.
Generate, develop and communicate their ideas.
Select and use appropriate tools, materials and techniques.
Make purposeful products for specific users.
Test, evaluate and improve their creations.
Reflect on their learning and the work of others.
Children work with a wide range of materials and media including textiles, food, structures, mechanisms, electrical systems and digital technologies. Through challenging projects with a real purpose, pupils develop resilience, confidence, technical vocabulary and the ability to learn from mistakes.
The National Curriculum for Design and Technology aims to ensure that all pupils:
Develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
Build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users.
Critique, evaluate and test their ideas, products and the work of others.
Understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.
Implementation
At St Joseph's, Design and Technology is delivered through a carefully planned, progressive curriculum that ensures pupils build on prior learning and develop increasingly sophisticated skills as they move through school. We follow a two-year rolling programme of study that meets the requirements of the National Curriculum and is tailored to our mixed-age classes. Our curriculum is supported by the Kapow Primary scheme, ensuring clear progression of knowledge, skills and vocabulary across all year groups.
Children engage in the full design process:
Design → Make → Evaluate
Throughout each unit, pupils are encouraged to:
Investigate existing products and technologies.
Identify a design brief and intended user.
Generate and communicate design ideas.
Develop practical making skills.
Test and refine their products.
Evaluate outcomes against design criteria.
Our curriculum includes learning in:
Structures – creating stable, strong and purposeful constructions.
Mechanisms and Mechanical Systems – understanding movement through wheels, axles, pulleys, gears and pneumatics.
Textiles – developing sewing, joining and decorative techniques.
Cooking and Nutrition – preparing food safely whilst learning about healthy eating and nutrition.
Electrical Systems – designing and building simple circuits and electrical products.
Digital World – applying computer-aided design, programming and emerging technologies.
Examples of projects across the school include creating moving toys, wearable technology, product packaging, bridges, stuffed toys, healthy recipes, monitoring devices and electrical games. Through these experiences, children learn to apply knowledge from mathematics, science and computing in meaningful and engaging ways.
Impact
The impact of our Design and Technology curriculum is that children leave St Joseph's as creative, resilient and confident learners who are prepared for the opportunities and challenges of modern life.
Children are able to:
Apply technical knowledge and practical skills confidently.
Design and make products that solve real problems.
Evaluate their work thoughtfully and make improvements.
Use subject-specific vocabulary accurately.
Work collaboratively and independently.
Demonstrate resilience when faced with challenges.
Make links between Design and Technology and other curriculum subjects.
Understand how Design and Technology shapes the world around them.
By the time pupils leave St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, they have developed the confidence to take risks, think creatively and use their skills to make a positive difference in the world. They understand that good design is rooted in empathy, purpose and continuous improvement, and they are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for the next stage of their education and beyond.
"Let all that you do be done in love." (1 Corinthians 16:14)
Through Design and Technology, we encourage our children to use their creativity, talents and determination to serve others, solve problems and contribute positively to God's world.
