Design Technology

Subject Leader: Tracey Ewer

Our vision

Design Technology at Hartwell empowers children to become thoughtful, creative problem-solvers who design with purpose and compassion. Guided by our Christian values, we aim to develop resilient learners who take pride in their work and support one another. Our intent is to provide meaningful, real-life contexts that inspire children to design, make, and evaluate with curiosity and care. Through a carefully sequenced curriculum, we implement hands-on learning that encourages listening, collaboration, and enthusiastic exploration of materials and tools. The impact is reflected in children’s growing independence, their ability to reflect on and improve their work and their understanding of how design can improve lives and serve others.

Intent:

Foster creativity, problem-solving and practical skills.
Enable children to design, make and evaluate purposeful products.
Develop technical knowledge and understanding of materials, tools and processes.
Encourage resilience, innovation and teamwork.

Implementation:

Taught through discrete units with clear design-make-evaluate structure.
Use of real-life contexts and cross-curricular links (e.g., science, history).
Progressive skills development in mechanisms, structures, textiles, food and electronics.
Use of design criteria, annotated sketches, prototypes and evaluations.

Impact:

Pupils can talk confidently about their design choices and evaluate their work.
Work shows progression in technical knowledge and making skills.
Pupils demonstrate creativity, independence and problem-solving.
Assessment through pupil voice, class floor books and finished products.

The subject leader

As the Design Technology subject leader at Hartwell, I am passionate about nurturing children’s creativity, curiosity and problem-solving skills through purposeful, hands-on learning. I ensure our DT curriculum is engaging, progressive and rooted in real-life contexts, enabling pupils to design and make with confidence and care. Guided by our school values, I support staff with planning and resourcing, monitor teaching and learning and celebrate the innovative work our children produce. My aim is to help every child see themselves as a designer who can make a positive difference in the world.

Pupil Voice

At Hartwell, we deeply value pupil voice as a way of showing respect for every child’s unique perspective. Listening to our pupils helps us shape a curriculum that reflects their interests, supports their wellbeing and encourages them to take ownership of their learning. Through regular feedback, discussions and celebration of their ideas, we ensure that children feel heard, valued and empowered to make a difference in our school community.

Design Technology Pupil Voice 2025-26

SMSC in DT

Design Technology SDP 2025-26

The DT curriculum at Hartwell

At Hartwell, we follow the National Curriculum for Design Technology. It is taught in all year groups and has cross-curricular links when possible.

The DT objectives in KS1 and KS2 are set out for each year group in the NC. They are as follows:

Key Stage 1

Design

Design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria
generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, templates, mock-ups and, where appropriate, information and communication technology

Make

select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing
select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their characteristics

Evaluate

explore and evaluate a range of existing products
evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria

Technical Knowledge

build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable
explore and use mechanisms [for example, levers, sliders, wheels and axles], in their products.

Key Stage 2

Design

use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups
generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-section and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design

Make

select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing], accurately
select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities

Evaluate

investigate and analyse a range of existing products
evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work
understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world

Technical Knowledge

apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures
understand and use mechanical systems in their products [for example, gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages]
understand and use electrical systems in their products [for example, series circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors]
apply their understanding of computing to program, monitor and control their products.

Cooking and nutrition

Key Stage 1

use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes
understand where food comes from. Key stage 2
understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet
prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques
understand seasonality, and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.

Key Stage 2

understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet
prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques
understand seasonality, and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.

Early Years Foundation Stage

DT takes place regularly in EYFS at our school, contributing significantly to many of the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) including ‘Being Creative and Expressive’. Activities such as making a daily snack and continuous access to a workbench in class where children can create without boundaries offer children the chance to not only solve a problem, but to think about how things work and the impact they can have on making something succeed. It introduces children to the concept of many areas of DT, such as designing before making and how to meet a criteria. DT is therefore a regular part of continuous provision.

EYFS

In EYFS, Design and Technology is all about exploring, creating, and problem-solving through play. Children use a variety of materials and tools to build, join, and construct, developing fine motor skills and early design thinking. Activities encourage imagination, resilience, and collaboration, helping children understand how things work and fostering curiosity about the world around them.