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Design Technology

At Bamford Academy we are all Designers!

Our children are at the heart of everything we do, and in Design Technology (DT) we want every child to become a creative thinker, innovative Designer and confident problem-solver. Design Technology is one of the ways we help our children grow into lifelong learners who are happy, ambitious and curious about the world around them. It is also where our core values come to life every day - Respect, Perseverance, Kindness, Acceptance and Responsibility - from taking care with tools and materials to persevering when a design needs refining. You can read more on our Our Values page and in our Headteacher’s Welcome.

We hope this page helps you understand what your child will experience in Design Technology and how you can share in their learning journey.

Design Technology at Bamford - At a glance

Who: every child from Reception to Year 6 is encouraged to see themselves as a Designer and problem-solver.
How much: Design Technology is taught in Autumn 2, Spring 2 and Summer 2 (blocked or weekly depending on the unit).
What: a carefully sequenced curriculum based on the KAPOW DT programme, ensuring progressive skills and knowledge from year group to year group and full coverage of the National Curriculum.
How: practical lessons following the design process – investigate and evaluate, develop ideas, make purposeful products and evaluate effectiveness – using textiles, food, woodwork, mechanisms and more.
Key strands: mechanisms, structures, textiles, cooking and nutrition, mechanical and electrical systems, and digital world.
Inclusive: every child experiences success regardless of prior experience, with adaptations that keep high expectations for all.
Values & British Values: DT develops Respect, Perseverance, Kindness, Acceptance and Responsibility, and supports Democracy, Mutual Respect, the Rule of Law, Tolerance and Individual Liberty.

Intent: Why we teach Design Technology at Bamford Academy

We teach Design Technology so that every child can develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world. We want our children to become problem solvers who can work both independently and cooperatively whilst thinking creatively on a shared project.

At Bamford Academy, we aim to provide children with a DT education that is relevant in our rapidly changing world. High-quality DT lessons inspire children to think independently, innovatively and develop creative, procedural and technical understanding. Our curriculum provides opportunities to research, represent ideas, explore and investigate, develop ideas, make a product and evaluate work. Children are exposed to a wide range of media including textiles, food and woodwork; through this they develop skills, vocabulary and resilience.

What do we want every child to achieve in Design Technology?

Develop creative, technical and imaginative thinking and the confidence to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world.
Talk about how things work and develop technical knowledge and vocabulary.
Apply a growing body of knowledge, understanding and skills to design and make prototypes and products for a wide range of users.
Select appropriate tools and techniques when making a product, whilst following safe procedures.
Develop an understanding of technological processes and products, their manufacture and their contribution to society.
Foster enjoyment, satisfaction and purpose in designing and making things.
Critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products, and give feedback to others.
Understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn simple cooking techniques.

How does Design Technology help children learn about British values?

Design Technology is a natural place to practise the values that matter in modern Britain. Children learn Democracy by making group decisions about designs and sharing ideas; Individual Liberty by expressing creative ideas and making design choices; the Rule of Law by following safe procedures and agreed classroom routines when using tools; and Mutual Respect and Tolerance by valuing others’ ideas and giving constructive feedback. Our school values of Respect, Perseverance, Kindness, Acceptance and Responsibility run through every unit - from supporting a classmate during making to persevering when a prototype needs improving.

Implementation: How we teach Design Technology at Bamford Academy

To ensure high standards of teaching and learning in Design Technology, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. We follow the KAPOW DT programme which ensures the skills and knowledge taught are progressive from year group to year group. Wherever possible, DT is taught with strong cross-curricular links, putting into practice skills children have learned in other lessons – measuring and ratios from maths, levers from science.

DT is a practical subject in which children explore a wide range of products and designs, use that knowledge to create their own designs, and then use a wide range of materials and tools to build their own products. Each unit is motivating, engaging and inclusive. Opportunities for evaluation throughout enable children to look deeper into their learning and reflect on whether their product has successfully met their design criteria.

What are the key principles behind our Design Technology teaching?

Pedagogical approach: lessons follow the KAPOW design process and the Bamford Way. Each lesson begins with a clear WALT and a Do Now retrieval activity. New learning is introduced through the gradual release model of I Do, We Do, You Do. Learning is broken down into manageable steps.
Design process: children investigate and evaluate existing products, develop and communicate their own ideas, create purposeful products and reflect upon their effectiveness.
Vocabulary and assessment: subject-specific vocabulary is explicitly taught and revisited. Assessment is embedded through questioning, observation, discussion, pupil voice and evaluation activities.
Inclusive practice: adaptations include well-organised workspaces, accessible resources, a wider range of tools for fine motor needs, pre-teaching of vocabulary and equipment, visual supports, step-by-step modelling, and breaking tasks into smaller steps.

In the classroom: Mechanisms - Fairground Wheel (Years 1 and 2 – Cycle A, Autumn 2)

In this unit, children investigate how a fairground wheel works and design their own. They choose suitable materials, build a stable structure, make a wheel that rotates using an axle and add working pods, then evaluate and improve their design. Children develop vocabulary such as design, plan, structure, axle, rotate and evaluate, and may explore real fairground experiences or hear from professionals such as Engineers or Builders.

Children practise Perseverance by refining their structure until it works, Responsibility by following safe procedures with tools and materials, and Mutual Respect by sharing ideas and giving constructive feedback. School values of Respect and Perseverance are woven through the design, make and evaluate process.

You may notice your child… talking about axles, wheels or structures; testing how things spin or stay upright; or showing pride in a model they have designed and improved. Joining in with these moments is a wonderful way to share their learning.

Impact: What children achieve in Design Technology

Our Design Technology curriculum enables and encourages our children to become critical thinkers. They look at existing designs to analyse and assess effectiveness and then consider ways of redesigning and reconstructing to improve overall success. Through DT our children learn to take risks, become resourceful, innovative and enterprising individuals. Children learn to be passionate and excited by the designing and making of a wide range of products.

What does success look like in Design Technology?

Success is not about a perfect final product. It looks like a child who is willing to try a new tool or technique, ready to adapt a design when something does not work first time, and resilient when refining a prototype. It sounds like a child using technical vocabulary accurately, offering kind feedback to a classmate, and explaining how their product meets a design brief. And it grows as children connect classroom making with real-world designers, engineers and chefs, recognise the value of evaluation, and take pride in the process of designing, making and improving.

What your child will learn: Curriculum Overview

Design Technology is taught in Autumn 2, Spring 2 and Summer 2. Units follow a two-year cycle suited to our mixed-age structure and build progressive skills through mechanisms, structures, textiles, cooking and nutrition, and mechanical systems. Key ideas are revisited and deepened over time. Open each section below to see units your child will study. The full plan is available to download further down this page.

Years 1 and 2 – Cycle A

Autumn 2: Mechanisms – Fairground wheel
Spring 2: Cooking and nutrition – Balanced diet (healthy wraps)
Summer 2: Structures – A chair for a bear

Years 3 and 4 – Cycle A

Autumn 2: Mechanical systems – Mechanical cars (slingshot and wind-up)
Spring 2: Cooking and nutrition – Adapting a recipe (biscuits)
Summer 2: Textiles – Fastenings (book sleeve)

Years 5 and 6 – Cycle A

Autumn 2: Mechanical systems – Gears and pulleys (eco-gadget bike design)
Spring 2: Cooking and nutrition – Come dine with me (three-course meal)
Summer 2: Textiles – Bags

Additional year-group coverage:

The KAPOW programme and school long-term plan also ensure coverage of further units such as:

Year 1: Moving sliders and slider games; Puppets; Smoothies
Year 2: Pouches
Year 3: Pneumatic toys; Eating seasonally; Egyptian collar (cross-stitch and appliqué)
Year 4: Electrical systems – Torches
Year 5: Structures – Bridges; Developing a recipe; Mechanical systems – Pop-up book
Year 6: Digital World – Navigating the world; Electrical systems – Steady hand game

How you can help your child with Design Technology at home

You do not need specialist tools or a workshop – just curiosity and a willingness to explore. Talking about how everyday objects work, trying simple making or cooking activities, and celebrating perseverance when something needs improving are all simple ways to support your child.

View and download our Design Technology curriculum documents:

Design Technology Curriculum Statement – Intent, Implementation and Impact

Design Technology Policy

Would you prefer a paper copy? We are happy to provide a free printed copy of any of these documents . Please ask at the school office, call 01706 631496 or email office@bamfordacademy.co.uk

Supporting every child

Design Technology is for every child at Bamford Academy. Lessons are fully inclusive and adapted to meet individual needs. Teachers provide well-organised workspaces, accessible resources, a wider range of tools for fine motor difficulties, pre-teaching of key vocabulary and equipment, visual supports (word banks, diagrams, worked examples), step-by-step modelling, additional adult support where needed, and tasks broken into smaller manageable steps. Practical activities allow pupils to demonstrate understanding without relying solely on written outcomes. Success is measured from individual starting points whilst maintaining high expectations for every learner. You can read more about how we support children on our SEND page.

If you feel your child might need extra support or extra challenge in Design Technology, please talk to your child’s teacher. We will always work with you to find the right way forward.

Frequently Asked Questions about Design Technology at Bamford Academy

How much Design and Technology will my child do?

Design Technology is taught in Autumn 2, Spring 2 and Summer 2. Teachers choose whether to deliver lessons as a block or weekly depending on the topic. All lessons in the knowledge organisers are given at least an hour of teaching time. In Reception, DT learning is introduced through Understanding the World activities that encourage exploring, problem-solving, observing and talking about the world around them.

Does Bamford Academy follow the National Curriculum for Design Technology?

Yes. We follow the KAPOW DT programme which ensures progressive skills and knowledge and full coverage of the National Curriculum. Our long-term overview and knowledge organisers show what is taught in each year group.

What kinds of projects will my child do?

Children design and make products using mechanisms (such as fairground wheels and mechanical cars), structures (such as chairs and bridges), textiles (such as book sleeves and bags), cooking and nutrition (such as healthy wraps, biscuits and three-course meals), and mechanical or electrical systems. Each unit follows the design–make–evaluate process.

Will my child learn about careers linked to Design Technology?

Yes. Children are introduced to a range of careers including Designers, Engineers, Architects, Chefs, Product Designers, Textile Designers, Carpenters, Builders and Inventors. Lessons make explicit links to how the knowledge and skills taught are used in the wider world, helping children recognise their own potential.

How is Design Technology made inclusive for all children?

Lessons are fully inclusive. Teachers adapt workspaces, resources and tools, pre-teach vocabulary and equipment use, provide visual supports and step-by-step modelling, and break tasks into smaller steps so that every child can access the curriculum and experience success from their individual starting points.

Get in touch

We welcome questions and queries about Design Technology and would love to hear from you.

If you have any questions about the curriculum, would like to find out more about how to support your child, please contact the school office. We are happy to provide a free printed copy of any of these documents please ask at the school office, call 01706 631496 or email office@bamfordacademy.co.uk.