Design & Tech Curriculum

What's happening?

Year 1

Homes

In Year 1, your children will become budding architects, with lessons full of practical activities and inspirational ideas. In this DT topic your child will design, make and evaluate their own model houses.

Playgrounds

Everyone loves the playground. During this unit children get the chance to make their very own models of playground equipment. On the way, they will explore different types of playground equipment, how they move and what they are made of, as well as exploring different ways of joining materials together.

Seaside Snacks

In this unit of work, children will identify and name a variety of foods before making seaside sandwiches. Children will be encouraged to taste and describe a variety of fruits, while thinking about their shape and colour. Fine motor skills will be developed while decorating cakes and pupils will think about how to keep hydrated by creating healthier alternatives to ice-lollies. They will use a balanced plate to check how healthy their picnics are and evaluate if they can be improved.

Year 2

Perfect Pizzas

This 'Perfect Pizzas' unit is a great way to get children excited about healthy eating as they explore pizzas, discovering what a variety of toppings and bases look like, taste like and feel like. They will then have the challenge of designing and making their pizza to meet a design brief and evaluate it based on the criteria.

Fire Engines

Year 2 get so excited to make fire engines! They will explore modern fire engines and their features, before exploring, designing, creating and evaluating their own model fire engine using wheels, axles and chassis.

Kites

Children will explore different types of kites from a variety of countries and learn why people make them. Different materials will be explored to see which are the most suitable to use and the children will make observations, problem solve and evaluate their own kite.

Year 3

Moving Storybooks

In Year 3, children will have the chance to explore moving parts in a variety of storybooks and learn how to recreate some of these moving parts using a variety of tools and techniques before investigating different types of fonts and graphics. The children will put their new-found skills to the test, by designing, creating and evaluating their very own moving storybooks.

Greenhouses

In this unit, children will become aspiring engineers and architects! They will find out the purpose of a greenhouse and how it works, before moving on to exploring how structures like these can be made stable, and what materials would be the most appropriate to use. Children then apply this knowledge and understanding when designing, making and evaluating their very own mini greenhouse!

Light up Signs

During this topic, children will consider the purposes of illuminated signs, and identify a number of ways in which signs may be illuminated. They will look at making simple circuits when designing and making an illuminated, light box-style sign, considering ways in which they can make more permanent circuits to fit and fix inside their signs.

Year 4

Seasonal Food

Children will learn why certain British foods are seasonal, and consider some pros and cons of foods from other parts of the world being available all year round. They will learn how and when a variety of fruits are produced in Britain, including how farming methods are used to slow down or speed up the ripening process. A healthy diet is important and during this topic, children will learn about the nutritional value of meat, eggs and dairy products.

Money Containers

In Year 4, the children learn about a variety of different stitching techniques and investigate the different features of money containers. They then follow the 'plan- do-review' cycle to make their very own container!

Torches

During this unit, children will explore the different components of a torch and investigate what materials are suitable to make a torch out of. Finally, each child will make a torch for a particular purpose, whether it be a head torch for camping, or a bike torch so they can see while riding at night.

Year 5

Programming Pioneers 

In this unit, the children will explore how computers programs are used in a variety of products. After research existing products, the children will design and make their very own products which they can control and monitor using a computer program. We cannot wait to see some of your exciting creations! 

Building Bridges

In Year 5, children will use readily-available materials such as card, paper or art straws, to investigate and explore the ways in which forces act on bridge structures, how they are constructed and how they are strengthened. The children will develop their team work skills while getting to grips with designing, making and evaluating a variety of bridge designs!

Fashion and Textiles

Children will see how textiles are used in the fashion industry- they will learn how cotton cloth is manufactured, then go on to look at how textiles like this are used to make clothes and other items. As they learn about the design and manufacturing processes of the fashion industry, they'll also develop their own skills designing and making a fashionable product of their own: a hand- or machine-stitched drawstring bag!   

Year 6

Shelters

During this unit, children will explore, discuss and investigate a range of shelters, thinking about what they are made from and their purpose. They will carry out some experiments to find out how best to join materials together to form a structure. Class discussions will take place about how to reinforce the structures to make them stronger, before children design and make their own shelter.

Chinese Inventions

During this topic, children will explore the innovative culture of ancient China and discover the inventions that have helped shape the world, including paper, the compass, gunpowder and the moveable-type printing press. The children will design, make and evaluate their own Chinese invention – the kite.

Great British Dishes

This unit is packed with interesting information and practical activities to help children learn all about great British food. They will explore some sweet and savoury national dishes of England, Scotland and Wales, before moving on to developing an understanding of how cuisines from other countries have influenced what is eaten in Britain today. Finally, children will practise the important life skill of how to plan and shop for a meal!