Design & Technology
Design and Technology at Penwortham Primary School
Design and Technology (DT) is an inspiring, practical subject that enables pupils to solve real and relevant problems within a range of contexts. It encourages creativity, innovation and enterprise, while developing resilience and critical thinking. At Penwortham Primary School, DT prepares pupils to participate in an increasingly technological world by equipping them with essential skills in designing, making, evaluating and problem-solving.
Our curriculum is rooted in the National Curriculum for Design and Technology and is delivered through a carefully sequenced programme, informed by the Kapow scheme. This ensures clear progression in knowledge, skills and technical vocabulary from Nursery to Year 6.
Intent
Our DT curriculum is designed to:
develop creative, innovative thinkers and confident problem solvers
build secure practical knowledge and technical skills
enable pupils to design purposeful, functional and appealing products
develop the ability to evaluate and improve designs critically
foster independence, resilience and perseverance
ensure safe and effective use of tools, materials and equipment
develop understanding of nutrition and healthy lifestyles
prepare pupils for future learning and real-life application
In line with the National Curriculum, pupils learn to:
design purposeful products for real users and contexts
generate, develop, model and communicate ideas
select and use appropriate tools, equipment and materials safely
evaluate their own and others’ products against design criteria
understand key technical knowledge
apply principles of cooking and nutrition
We aim for all pupils to see DT as a relevant, engaging and purposeful subject, embedded in everyday life.
Implementation
Curriculum Structure and Progression
DT is taught through well-sequenced, discrete units, with meaningful cross-curricular links where appropriate. The curriculum is structured to ensure progression across key strands:
Mechanisms
Structures
Textiles
Electrical systems
Cooking and nutrition
Knowledge and skills are carefully mapped so that pupils build on prior learning, revisiting and deepening their understanding over time.
Each unit follows a clear and consistent design process:
Research → Design → Make → Evaluate
This ensures pupils understand that DT is an iterative process, where ideas are refined and improved.
Progression in Design and Technology (EYFS to Year 6)
Our DT curriculum builds progressively as pupils move through the school:
Early Years: pupils explore materials, tools and techniques through play, building early skills in joining, constructing and creating
Key Stage 1: pupils begin to design purposeful products, develop basic making skills and start to evaluate their work
Lower Key Stage 2: pupils develop greater accuracy and independence, applying skills across a wider range of projects and beginning to use more complex tools and techniques
Upper Key Stage 2: pupils refine and adapt their designs, work with increasing precision, and apply technical knowledge confidently across different contexts
This progression ensures pupils develop from early exploration to confident, independent designers and makers.
Teaching and Learning
We use the Kapow scheme to support the delivery of a coherent and progressive curriculum. It has been selected because it provides:
clear progression of knowledge and skills across all year groups
consistent structure and high-quality resources to support teaching
full coverage of the National Curriculum
support for teachers’ subject knowledge
Teachers adapt lessons to meet the needs of their pupils, ensuring learning is engaging, inclusive and appropriately challenging.
Key features of teaching include:
explicit teaching of technical vocabulary
modelling of skills and techniques
opportunities for hands-on practical learning
regular evaluation and refinement of work
links to real-life contexts and users
Inclusion and SEND
DT at Penwortham Primary School is inclusive and accessible to all pupils.
Teachers adapt learning to support pupils with SEND through strategies such as:
visual instructions and step-by-step guides
scaffolded design templates
adapted tools and simplified materials
alternative ways to record ideas (e.g. verbal explanations or drawings)
additional adult support where needed
These adaptations ensure all pupils can participate fully, experience success and develop confidence.
Assessment
Assessment is ongoing and informs teaching. Teachers assess:
understanding of the design process
practical skills and application of techniques
use of technical vocabulary
ability to evaluate and improve
This ensures pupils know more, remember more and can do more over time.
Impact
The impact of our DT curriculum is evident in pupils who:
demonstrate confidence in designing and making
produce purposeful, high-quality products
use technical vocabulary accurately
show independence and resilience when solving problems
understand and apply the design process effectively
make informed choices about healthy eating
By the end of Year 6, pupils have developed secure knowledge, practical skills and creativity, preparing them well for secondary education and the wider world.
Monitoring and Development
The DT curriculum is regularly reviewed through:
lesson observations
scrutiny of pupils’ work
pupil voice
assessment information
This ensures that teaching remains high-quality, consistent and progressive across the school.