Design and Technology (DT) at Upwood Primary Academy offers a coherently planned sequence of lessons to help teachers ensure they have progressively covered the knowledge, understanding and skills required in the National Curriculum. Our Design and Technology curriculum aims to inspire children through a broad range of practical experiences to create innovative designs which solve real and relevant problems within a variety of different contexts. Teaching encourages children to identify real and relevant problems, critically evaluate existing products and innovate when designing and creating solutions to the problems. Time is built in to reflect, evaluate and improve on prototypes using design criteria throughout to support this process. Opportunities are provided for children to evaluate key events and individuals who have helped shape the world, showing the real impact of design and technology on the wider environment and helping to inspire children to become the next generation of innovators. Our Design and Technology curriculum also offers opportunities for wider reading about designers and innovators and their work. 

Our Design and Technology curriculum is built around essential knowledge, understanding and key skills. These are broken into year group expectations and show clear continuity and progress. Each year group focuses on new themes, to engage the children with their learning, but continuously revisits and builds upon prior knowledge and understanding.  

All teaching of Design and Technology teaching follows the design, make and evaluate cycle.  The design process should be relevant in context, to give meaning to learning. Whilst making, children should be given choice and a range of tools to choose from. When evaluating, children should be able to evaluate their own products against a 'design criteria'.  Each of these steps should be rooted in technical knowledge and vocabulary. 

The impact of our Design and Technology curriculum can be seen through the work of pupils and classroom displays.  We may also measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods: 

• Images of the children’s practical learning. 

• Interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice). 

• Annual reporting of standards across the curriculum. 

All children will be taught to use technical vocabulary accurately and pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the skills and processes specified. Children improve their enquiry skills and inquisitiveness about the world around them, through Design and Technology. Children will become more confident in analysing their own work and giving their opinion on the work of others.