Design Technology
The national curriculum for design and technology aims to ensure that all pupils:
- Develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
- Build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users
- Critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
- Understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook
Throughout their time in school, the children have opportunities to design, make and evaluate a number of products. These are often linked to their other topics.
They also develop technical knowledge so that they can:
- Apply their understanding of how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce more complex structures
- Understand and use mechanical systems in their products [for example, gears, pulleys, cams, levers and linkages]
- Understand and use electrical systems in their products [for example, series circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors]
- Apply their understanding of computing to program, monitor and control their products
