Design Technology Curriculum

Design Technology Curriculum

Intent

At North Ealing Primary School, our Design & Technology (DT) curriculum is designed to inspire children to become creative, innovative, and reflective learners. Through exposure to the work of engineers, designers, chefs, and architects, we aim to develop children’s skills in creating functional, sustainable products. The DT units are taught on a weekly basis when they are being covered, allowing students to explore the design, make, and evaluate cycle in a structured and thorough way.

Our curriculum emphasizes sustainability and real-world application, encouraging students to design products that solve practical problems. Through engaging, hands-on projects, children learn to use materials and tools effectively, while developing the critical thinking skills necessary to refine and improve their designs.

Implementation

DT is taught on a weekly basis when a unit is being covered, allowing for in-depth exploration of the design process. Each unit follows the design, make, and evaluate cycle, ensuring that students have dedicated time to design their products, create them, and reflect on their success. Weekly lessons provide students with the opportunity to apply their learning, using a wide range of materials and tools to bring their ideas to life.

Children are encouraged to make thoughtful design decisions, work independently, and collaborate with peers as they progress through their projects. Evaluation is a key part of each unit, where students assess their work against the design criteria, identify areas for improvement, and refine their designs. These ongoing reflections help build their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

The DT units are linked to other curriculum themes, ensuring that students see the real-world relevance of their projects. By applying their DT skills across different subjects, children gain a deeper understanding of how creativity and design can enhance learning in various contexts.

Impact

The impact of our weekly DT lessons, when units are being taught, is seen in students’ growing ability to design, create, and evaluate their products with confidence and creativity. By the end of their time at North Ealing Primary, children will have gained technical proficiency, an understanding of the design process, and a strong sense of how to solve real-life problems through design.

Children’s progress is assessed not just by the products they create, but by their ability to reflect on their work, evaluate their designs, and apply improvements. This process helps develop a growth mindset, where students learn to see mistakes as opportunities for learning and improvement.

Ultimately, our curriculum ensures that students leave school with a lasting interest in design and technology, equipped with the skills and creativity to approach future challenges with confidence and resourcefulness.

By the end of year 6, we would like the children to:

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Curriculum Overview for NEPs parents and children

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