Design and Technology
'Design and Technology in primary schools develops young children’s skills and knowledge in design, structures, mechanisms, electrical control and a range of materials, including food. Design and Technology encourages children's creativity and encourages them to think about important issues.' D&T Association
At Cookley Sebright Primary School, our children are given the opportunity to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a range of inspiring contexts. Pupils begin each topic by disassembling and evaluating an existing product to ensure that they understand the product they are studying. Then, through focused practical tasks, pupils develop their technical and practical expertise. Using the knowledge and skills gained, the pupils then design their chosen product. The final step is to evaluate their finished product.
Food technology is taught in each year group and children are taught about healthy eating as well as learning about where their food comes from and how it is processed, in addition to preparing it for a desired purpose. Our school garden, open from Spring 2024, will provide our children with the opportunity to learn first-hand about where food comes from. By providing a context for conversations about the food system (the way food is produced, distributed, prepared, consumed, and disposed of or recycled), our garden will encourage pupils to think critically about the food they eat and gain life-long skills in making healthy choices.
Design and technology starts in our Early Years with opportunities planned throughout Nursery and Reception. From Year One, as a maintained school, we are required to follow the National Curriculum, which includes Design and Technology as a compulsory subject at Key Stages 1 and 2, with statutory Programmes of Study. Cookley Sebright Primary School's curriculum is based predominantly on the D & T Association's Projects on a Page and is underpinned by our values of enjoy, discover, achieve.
All pupils have access to all activities including those children with SEND, where additional resources may need to be provided to ensure that all pupils can, and will, achieve.
Click on a year group below to find out more details of the knowledge, skills and techniques taught in each unit at Cookley Sebright Primary School.
Design Technology Overview
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Year 1 | Structures - Freestanding structures
| Food - Preparing fruit and vegetables | Mechanisms – Sliders and levers |
Year 2 | Mechanisms - Wheels and axles | Food – Balanced diet | Textiles - Templates and joining techniques
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Year 3 | Food – Cooking and nutrition | Textiles - 2-D shape to 3-D product | Structures - Shell structures using computer-aided design
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Year 4 | Mechanical Systems - Levers and linkages | Food - Celebrations | Electrical Systems - Simple circuits and switches |
Year 5 | Textiles - Combining different fabric shapes | Structures - Frame structures | Food – Product design |
Year 6 | Electrical Systems - More complex switches and circuits | Food - Culture and seasonality | Mechanical Systems - Pulleys or gears |