Design and Technology
Design and Technology at Smithdown Primary School
Intent
At Smithdown Primary School, together we grow as creative thinkers, problem-solvers and innovators. Our Design and Technology (D&T) curriculum gives every child the opportunity to design and make purposeful products that improve everyday life. We want children to develop curiosity about how and why things work, and to gain confidence in turning ideas into practical, well-made solutions.
Supported by the Projects on a Page scheme, our curriculum is carefully structured to ensure breadth, balance and progression from EYFS to Year 6. Children learn how design and technology shape our world — from clothing and books to homeware, structures and digital systems — and how thoughtful design meets human needs.
Through D&T, children combine creativity with technical knowledge, exploring aesthetic, environmental and functional considerations. They reflect on past and present designers, developing cultural awareness and becoming informed, responsible consumers and potential innovators of the future.
Implementation
Design and Technology is taught through discrete projects and cross-curricular links, enabling children to apply learning from maths, science, computing and art in practical contexts. The Projects on a Page framework supports teachers to deliver high-quality D&T lessons that follow a clear design, make, evaluate and technical knowledge cycle.
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In the Early Years, children explore materials and tools through play and investigation, learning to plan, make and adapt simple models.
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In Key Stage 1, pupils design and make purposeful, functional and appealing products based on design criteria. They use a range of materials and tools safely to cut, shape, join and finish their work. They begin to evaluate their creations, considering how products could be improved to be stronger, stiffer and more stable. Basic food preparation is introduced through simple savoury cooking activities.
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In Key Stage 2, children build on these foundations to design for specific users and purposes. They plan and test ideas through annotated sketches, prototypes and models. They learn to incorporate mechanical systems, electrical components and computer control, and to understand how products can be made sustainably. Cooking and nutrition are taught through increasingly complex savoury dishes, developing a strong understanding of healthy eating and food safety.
To celebrate creativity and strengthen our community links, each year group in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 includes one unit where parents and carers are invited into school to collaborate with their child on the final product. These shared experiences promote pride, teamwork and a real sense of achievement — truly bringing our school motto, “Together We Grow,” to life.
Teachers assess progress through sketchbooks, design journals, photographs, written evaluations and discussions, ensuring that all children — including those with SEND — make steady progress and feel successful in their achievements.
Impact
By the end of Year 6, our pupils:
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Have developed the practical skills and creative confidence to design and make high-quality, purposeful products.
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Understand the design process as a cycle of thinking, planning, doing and improving.
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Can apply their technical knowledge to solve real problems, independently and collaboratively.
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Appreciate the role of design and technology in everyday life, and the impact of innovation on society and the environment.
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Have experienced working alongside parents, learning that creativity is something that grows through shared ideas and teamwork.
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Are reflective, resourceful and resilient — living our motto, “Together We Grow.”
Through Design and Technology, our children learn that their ideas matter — and that they have the creativity and capability to shape the world around them.
National Curriculum for Design and Technology
Please click here for our whole school overview for design and technology
Please click here for our progression document (pages 3-6)
Design and Technology Chatter
Day one – Rail engineering programme
10-03-2026
Today we started our railway project to build a locomotive. We completed a lot of cutting, sawing, measuring and gluing but our chassis is looking good! Bring on day 2 tomorrow!
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Exploring night lamps
25-02-2026
In DT this term, year 4 will be using their science knowledge to create a simple circuit into a night lamp. To start this topic, we explored a range of lamps with different switches. The children were fascinated by the touch lamp … just look at their faces 🤣🛋💡⚡️
Shell structures
23-02-2026
We explored some different 2D nets today and created 3D shell structures. We made sure we folded lines and glued tabs to create shapes that could stand up by themselves.
Sustainable plastics
02-02-2026
In Year 3 we were very lucky to have some trainee teacher teach us about sustainability and how we can reuse some plastics to prevent them damaging our environment if not recycled properly.
Thank you for everyone who joined us today at our session promoting physical development. Your children were brilliant at chopping the bananas and fruits to make their banana split.
20-01-2026
Seasonal Crafts
17-12-2025
In Reception, we have busy creating our own biscuit dough, making salt dough decorations, Santa socks and reindeer food.
Winter Workshop
16-12-2025
Thank you to everyone who came and helped the children with their tic-tac-toe pouches. It was a lovely afternoon 🪡👝👛
Puppet Making!
15-12-2025
Thank you to our parents for joining us this afternoon to make our puppets. We loved it! Thank you also to our Year 5 helpers.
Exploring Puppets
15-12-2025
This morning we have been investigating different types of puppets. We looked at what they are made from and how they move.
Year 3 Winter Crafts
12-12-2025
WHAT AN AMAZING TURN OUT! Thank you to all our Year 3 parents and carers for coming and helping finish off our DT mechanism cards.
Thank you!
Year 6 Computer Aided Design
11-12-2025
This term, Year 6 have been exploring computer-aided design (CAD) as part of their Design and Technology curriculum. Building on last year’s wooden train set project, pupils are now designing and creating their own model cars. They have been learning how to use digital design tools to plan, test, and refine their ideas before bringing them to life.
It has been a busy day booking cakes for Maisie’s Birthday Party 🎂 We have learnt the names of the ingredients and measured them out before mixing them together.
28-11-2025
Mechanisms
20-11-2025
We finished off our second prototype today for our DT unit. We labelled our work with key vocabulary and then created some designs to stick onto our arms.
Remembrance poetry
11-11-2025
To think about those who have lost their lives, we created some rhyming poetry. We based our poems on poppy fields, just like our art work.
Remembrance Day 11.11.2025
11-11-2025
Year 3 have started Remembrance Day by focusing on some art work that uses paint, fabric and stitching. When they are dry we’ll add some stitching on them to add colour and texture.
Diwali Celebration
15-10-2025
We had a wonderful workshop this morning to celebrate Diwali and reinforce the work we have already done in Hinduism. We listened to a story, danced and created lanterns.
Picnic Wraps
16-07-2025
In D.T. we made picnic wraps to as part of the school’s 150 years celebration. We analysed different ingredients and then used our cutting, peeling and grating skills to make our wrap using our favourite.
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Y4 Food Technology
15-07-2025
A very busy day in Year 4 as we taste tested wrap ingredients, designed and created our own picnic wrap ready for our school’s 150th birthday party tomorrow.
Biomes
07-07-2025
Today, we learnt that biomes are places with similar climates, landscapes, animals and plants. These children created biomes representing deserts, rainforests and savannas.
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Biomes
07-07-2025
In groups we created different biomes of our worlds. We thought about, climate zones, temperatures, vegetation and animals that would live in our different biomes.
DT – engineer visit!
23-06-2025
We have loved making our trains last week in Year 5. We’ve built our chassis, adding electrics and tested our locomotives. We were even visited by a local engineer from Stadler Rail Company to help us with our electrics and testing. 
