Design and Technology at Ashbourne Primary School

Our curriculum inspires children to be resourceful, enterprising and imaginative. Pupils take part in a range of projects that move from design, through creation, to evaluation and refinement, developing practical skills and a clear understanding of the design process. Children are encouraged to take risks, learn from mistakes and solve problems, building resilience and confidence in their abilities.

Our curriculum equips pupils with the knowledge and skills needed to design and make purposeful products, understanding how their ideas can be developed, improved and applied in real-life contexts.

Curriculum Progression

Our Design and Technology curriculum is carefully planned and sequenced over a two-year cycle:

• Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2) – pupils develop foundational knowledge and basic practical skills
• Lower Key Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4) – pupils deepen their understanding and begin to apply their skills in more structured projects
• Upper Key Stage 2 (Years 5 and 6) – pupils build on prior learning to design and create more complex and refined products

We recognise that learning takes time and repetition. Our curriculum is designed to ensure that key knowledge and processes are embedded in pupils’ long-term memory, enabling them to apply their understanding across a range of contexts.

Linked to Our Golden Threads

Our Design and Technology curriculum supports our Golden Threads:

• Language and Literacy – pupils develop the vocabulary to explain their designs, processes and evaluations clearly
• Resilience and Regulation – pupils learn to persevere, refine their work and respond positively to challenges and mistakes
• Belonging and Becoming – pupils develop confidence in their ideas, collaborate with others and take pride in their creations

Through our Design and Technology curriculum, pupils:

• Develop practical skills and technical knowledge
• Learn to design, make and evaluate purposeful products
• Build confidence in solving problems and taking risks
• Develop resilience through refining and improving their work
• Understand how design and technology are used in the wider world