Design & Technology

Our Design and Technology curriculum aims to engage and inspire pupils to using their creativity and imagination to design and make products.

The subject supports pupils in becoming creative problem-solvers that can apply their learning to a range of design contexts and our curriculum supports them in acquiring a broad range of subject knowledge which enables them to identify needs and opportunities and to respond to these. Through critical evaluation of existing products, they develop an understanding of design technology's impact on our daily life and the wider world.

We have created our curriculum to allow pupils to draw on other subject area knowledge which supports them in better understanding their design contexts. Particular examples of this include mathematics, science, and computing, with some links made to geography and history also.

Curriculum Progression

At Riversdale Primary School we believe in the importance of all children developing a deep understanding of Design and Technology and in embedding the substantive knowledge and disciplinary skills into their long-term memory. As such, the progression for the subject has been carefully mapped, with a consideration to connected subject matter and opportunities to revisit specific concepts over time.

You can find a copy of the 2024-25 Design and Technology Progression Document here. 

Lesson Delivery

All children are taught by their class teacher, in dedicated lessons that take place fortnightly (alternating with computing). They are given the opportunity to explore a varied range of design technology domains (including mechanisms, textiles, structures, electrical systems and cooking/nutrition) each falling within the designing, making and evaluation process. 

Pupils are provided with a Knowledge Organiser that:

• outlines prior learning that they will be building upon,
• lists the sequence of lessons so that pupils know what they are studying,
• identifies the most significant knowledge that they should gain
• includes images of key concepts, or significant examples to provide additional context for the pupils
• defines the subject specific terminology that they are expected to learn and use.

You can find the 2024-25 Autumn Term Knowledge Organisers for Design and Technology below: 

• Year 1 - Christmas Puppets (Textiles)
• Year 2 - Picnic Pieces (Cooking & Nutrition)
• Year 3 - Pneumatics (Mechanisms)
• Year 4 - Protective Product Packaging (Structures)
• Year 5 - Cam Mechanism Toys (Mechanisms)
• Year 6 - Mediterranean Food (Cooking & Nutrition)

Curriculum Policies

Please find our Design and Technology policy below:

• Design and Technology