Design and Technology Curriculum

Intent

At Benhurst, we encourage children to use their creativity, courage and resilience to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. We encourage children to think and intervene creatively to solve problems both as individuals and as members of a team. Throughout their time at Benhurst, the children are taught during their Design and Technology lessons to design a product, make the product from a wide range of materials and then evaluate their creation. The children are also given opportunities to reflect upon and evaluate past and present design technology, considering how an invention impacts on everyday lives, its uses, its effectiveness and are encouraged to become ambitious innovators.​

Implementation

At Benhurst, our Design and Technology curriculum is crafted to inspire creativity, curiosity, and the courageous optimism to solve real-world problems through hands-on learning. Through a variety of creative and practical activities, we teach pupils the essential knowledge, understanding, and skills needed to engage in the iterative process of designing and making. Our pupils create purposeful and functional products, relevant to sectors such as the home, school, leisure, culture, industry, and the wider environment. Each lesson is rooted in our core values, nurturing ambition and collaboration while fostering a compassionate understanding of the world around them.

Our teaching is based on the National Curriculum guidelines, ensuring pupils know, apply, and understand the matters, skills, and processes outlined in the programme of study. Specific vocabulary is regularly modelled to strengthen children’s confidence and technical language, supporting ambition in learning and technical mastery.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

In our EYFS setting, we lay the foundation for future learning by immersing children in hands-on, exploratory activities. Pupils explore their environment both indoors and outdoors, using role play and construction kits to understand how the world around them is designed and made. Through activities such as drawing, designing, making, and testing products, they build their creative and technical skills. They also engage with simple mechanisms, structures, and textiles, developing a growing understanding of how things work.

Key Stage 1

Building on early learning, pupils in Key Stage 1 are introduced to designing and making through a structured approach that develops their confidence and problem-solving abilities. Pupils are taught to design purposeful and appealing products, using materials and tools to bring their ideas to life. They also explore existing products, evaluating their functionality and testing their own creations against design criteria. Pupils begin to apply their technical knowledge to strengthen structures and use mechanisms like levers, sliders, and wheels. This process nurtures curiosity and the courage to tackle new challenges, fostering creativity in their approach.

Key Stage 2

At Key Stage 2, pupils deepen their understanding of the design process, conducting research and developing innovative, functional products tailored for specific users.

They use advanced tools and materials to refine their ideas, creating prototypes and applying mechanical systems like gears and pulleys, as well as electrical systems like circuits.

Pupils also explore the historical impact of design and technology, recognising key figures who have shaped the world through innovation.

They evaluate their work and consider feedback from others, building resilience and collaboration in the design process. Pupils also apply computing skills to program and control their products, reinforcing their technical capabilities and forward-thinking mindset.

By the time pupils leave Benhurst, they have cultivated a love for learning about design and technology, having gained a deep and coherent understanding of the subject. They possess a robust body of technical knowledge, including how to explore and construct strong structures, how to use mechanisms, and an understanding of nutrition and basic cooking skills.

Our pupils can confidently design, make, evaluate, and test products, producing authentic outcomes that reflect their individual creativity. The skills, knowledge, and ambition developed at Benhurst prepare them to successfully engage with design and technology in secondary school and beyond, with a sense of purpose and readiness for the future.

Year Group Overview

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