Our Design and technology curriculum aims to inspire pupils to become curious, creative and innovative thinkers with a broad understanding of how products are designed and made.  The intention is for pupils to develop the confidence to identify problems, generate ideas, plan and create products and evaluate their outcomes, we encourage our pupils to think like designers and engineers!

Our curriculum aims to raise pupils’ awareness of how design and technology shape the way they live, work and interact with the world. It encourages pupils to become resourceful, enterprising individuals who have the skills to contribute to and improve the world around them.

For each of our Design Technology projects, children will:

• Design
• Make
• Evaluate
• Develop technical knowledge

At Westfield children will experience a range of projects covering these key strands of DT:

Cooking and Nutrition       

Electrical Systems       

Mechanisms/Mechanical Systems

Digital World       

Textiles     

Structures

These strands ensure a balanced coverage of the substantive, disciplinary and procedural knowledge pupils need to progress in Design and technology.

They support the development of creativity, problem-solving and technical understanding, preparing pupils to design purposeful, functional products with increasing independence and confidence.

We follow these key principles to ensure progress: 

• Cyclical – pupils return to the key knowledge and skills again and again in different contexts during their time at Westfield. 
• Increasing depth – each time a skill is revisited, it is explored with greater complexity.
• Prior knowledge – pupils build on their existing understanding, allowing them to build upon previous foundations rather than starting again.

Pupils demonstrate their learning and provide tangible evidence of progress through a variety of activities, including structured written work, annotated diagrams and creative responses. Lessons also encourage discussion, reflection and verbal explanations. We capture pupils’ understanding through questioning, class discussions and recorded responses, supporting a broader view of progress beyond written work.

Progress is assessed throughout the design process rather than through a final product alone. Teachers evaluate pupils’ practical and written work, verbal responses, and skills demonstrated in lessons to ensure clear progression. Regular opportunities for discussion and reflection help pupils articulate their thinking and enable teaching to be adapted where needed.

As a result, pupils leave Westfield with the confidence, creativity, and practical skills to tackle challenges in innovative ways. They develop an appreciation of the role of design in everyday life and are well prepared for future learning and real-world experiences.