All teaching of DT should follow the design, make and evaluate cycle. Each stage should be rooted in technical knowledge. The design process should be rooted in real life, relevant contexts to give meaning to learning. While making, children should be given choice and a range of tools to choose freely from. Children should be able to evaluate their own products against a design criteria. Each of these steps should be rooted in technical knowledge and vocabulary. DT should be taught to a high standard, where each of the stages should be given equal weight. There should be evidence in each of these stages in the DT files, which should also develop to show clear progression across the key stages as they are passed up through each year group.

In KS1 this looks like:

Design:

• Design should be rooted in real life, relevant contexts to give meaning to the learning.

• Planned through appropriate formats: drawing, templates, talking and mock-ups.

Make:

• Children should be given a range of tools for their projects to choose from.

• Children should use a wide range of materials and components; textiles, construction equipment and ingredients.

Evaluate:

• Evaluate existing products.

• Evaluate their own products against design criteria.

In KS2 this looks like:

Design:

• Rooted in real life, relevant contexts to give meaning to the learning.

• Researched designs based on functional, appealing products with purpose.

• Planned by appropriate methods; annotated sketches, cross-sectional diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer aided design.

Make:

• Children can select from a wider range of tools than KS1

• Children should use from and select a wider range of materials and components; textiles, construction equipment and ingredients.

Evaluate:

• Evaluations should be in comparison to existing products.

• Children should evaluate against a design criteria.

• Children should understand how key events and individuals have helped shape design and technology globally – products are in context!

The impact of teaching will be seen across the school with an increase in the profile of Design and Technology. The learning environment across the school will be more consistent with design and technology technical vocabulary displayed, spoken and used by all learners. Whole-school and parental engagement will be improved through the use of whole school DT homeworks using the ‘If I were an engineer…’ national competition in the summer term. We want to ensure that Design and Technology is loved by teachers and pupils across school, therefore encouraging them to want to continue building on this wealth of skills and understanding, now and in the future. Impact can also be measured through key questioning skills built into lessons and child-led assessment such as end of unit evaluation tasks.