Intent

At St Gregory’s, the curriculum our children experience enables us to live out our Mission Slogan: Loving all, like Jesus, we flourish together. We aim to enable all our children to flourish, regardless of background or disposition by offering a rich and informed curriculum packed with opportunities for all our children to experience ‘life to the full’ (John 10:10).

Our Design & Technology curriculum is designed to inspire creativity, develop practical skills, and encourage problem-solving in real-world contexts. Using the Kapow Primary scheme, our long-term plan ensures that pupils build knowledge and skills progressively from year to year.

We aim to give every child the opportunity to design, make, and evaluate their own projects, fostering independence, resilience, and confidence. Our ethos is to make DT engaging, inclusive, and hands-on, helping children connect learning with everyday life and the wider world. Above all, we want children to enjoy exploring, experimenting, and creating as they develop their DT skills.

We hope you find this page useful and that it gives a clear picture of the exciting learning experiences our pupils enjoy in DT.

DT in Early Years Foundation Stage

In the EYFS, children begin exploring Design & Technology through play and guided activities. They learn to:

• Use different materials and tools to create and express ideas.
• Plan and build with a purpose using a variety of resources.
• Experiment with cooking and food preparation, following basic hygiene routines.
• Explore form, function, and creativity in their designs.
• Develop basic problem-solving, independence, and confidence in making things.

DT in Key Stage 1 

In KS1, children begin to explore the world of Design & Technology through hands-on, creative activities. They learn to:

• Use everyday materials and tools safely to make simple products.
• Design, make, and evaluate their own projects.
• Explore mechanisms, textiles, and food in simple ways.
• Develop problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration skills.

DT in Key Stage 2 

In KS2, pupils build on these skills with more complex projects and challenges. They learn to:

• Plan, design, and create products with increasing independence.
• Test, evaluate, and improve their designs based on experience.
• Explore structures, mechanisms, electrical systems, textiles, and cooking in more detail.
• Develop critical thinking, resilience, and real-world problem-solving skills.

Click here to read the National Curriculum: Design and Technology Programmes of Study.

Explore and Create: Design & Technology at Home

Children love showing off the projects and ideas they develop in DT. To make learning at home fun and hands-on, we’ve put together a selection of activities, games, and online resources. These are perfect for exploring creativity, building practical skills, and sharing memorable learning experiences together:

• BBC Bitesize – Art and Design
  https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z8tnvcw

• BBC Bitesize – Artists for KS1
  https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zdgrd2p

• CBBC Creative Lab
  https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/games/cbbc-creative-lab-fun-art-game

• BBC Bitesize – KS1 Design Technology
  https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zb9d7ty

• BBC Bitesize – KS2 Design Technology
  https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zyr9wmn