Subject Resources – Primary Design & Technology

Design and Technology (D&T)

“Is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject.” (National Curriculum. 2013)

This is a foundation subject that is either embraced in the primary school and children are given the opportunity to build upon prior knowledge term after term, and year after year; or it is brushed aside, this could be because teachers are lacking in their own subject knowledge or confidence. This personal lack of subject knowledge can be addressed with some subject leader advice and networking and discussion.  Another reason why it might not be so popular is the fact that it is time consuming, and you need quite a lot of supplies. These are all things that can be easily resolved with creative planning and some imaginative ways of finding resources. As design and technology use specialist tools and equipment, health and safety can also be of a concern for the teachers, wanting to ensure that they have addressed the wellbeing of the children within the lessons. 

Making certain that your school has a broad and balanced curriculum, including the wider subjects such as design and technology, will ensure that you are maximising the full potential of the learning you are giving to the children in your class, developing their confidence and capabilities preparing them with the skills that they need for further education, and beyond. 

What is incorporated within the focus of design and technology? 

We are quite unique in the spectrum of focus areas that we cover within the design and technology curriculum. All of which teach the children specific skills which are utilised when designing and making a final product, with the key aim that it is fit for an intended purpose or outcome. 

Textile Technology: 

Health and safety
Learning about the various ways that fabric is made and decorated.
Learning how to sew different stiches, running stitch, back stich, blanket stich etc. 
Making a bookmark – using various stiches
Various projects that can be made, i.e. Money containers or bags, finger and hand puppets,
clothing and footwear and upcycling materials. 

Cooking & Nutrition (previously referred to as Food Technology):

Health and safety 
Eating nutritiously – healthy diet
Learning how to use tools and equipment safely 
Where food comes from – grown / animal derivatives 
Following recipes

Resistant Materials and Construction

Health and safety when using various tools and equipment
Learning different ways to join wood / plastic together
Exploring structures and investigating what the strongest shapes are
Recycling containers where possible for making prototypes

Coding and Programming

Building on existing scratch computing knowledge to further develop coding and programming
Operations 
Robotics

Computer Aided Design, Computer Aided Manufacture – (CAD CAM).

Promoting designing on the computer with appropriate 2D or 3D software, i.e. Tech-soft,
Tinker-cad.
Card cutting machines
3D Printers – some in primary, but more in secondary schools
Laser Cutters – more in secondary school

Focussed Tasks

These are small practical tasks that are normally completed at the beginning of a unit of work to assess children’s initial ability, they also help them to develop their fine motor skills and prepare them for the main project. 

An example of this within textiles could be for the children to learn how to thread a needle and then do a basic running stich to sew a simple pattern or their initial on a square of felt / fabric. 

What pedagogical learning will be covered within these areas?

The following National Curriculum aims would be ensure that all pupils:

• Develop the creative, technical, and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
• Build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users
• Critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
• Understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.

(National Curriculum, 2013)

Teachers would have the opportunity to address many of the core content framework standards throughout their design and technology sessions.