At John Wilkinson, we spark a lifelong love of design and innovation by nurturing creativity, encouraging problem-solving, and fostering a deep understanding of how things are made and improved. Linking to our school values – Passion, Ambition, Curiosity and Equity – our Design and Technology curriculum inspires purposeful making, equipping children with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to think, design, and create like engineers and inventors.

We believe every child is a designer. Our curriculum provides rich, hands-on experiences that promote imaginative thinking and practical exploration. Through structured projects, real-world contexts, and iterative design processes, pupils develop a secure understanding of key concepts across structures, mechanisms, textiles, electrical systems, and food technology.

As a RADY-informed school, our Design and Technology curriculum is intentionally inclusive. Lessons are adapted and structured so that all pupils – including those with SEND and those who are disadvantaged – have access to meaningful challenge and success. Every child is encouraged to thrive, explore, and contribute creatively, regardless of their starting point.

Intent

Our intent is to ignite curiosity, nurture creativity, and develop confident problem-solvers who can design, make, and evaluate purposeful products. Through our Design and Technology curriculum, pupils learn to combine imagination with technical understanding, reflecting on the world around them and exploring how design improves lives.

DT at John Wilkinson builds both practical skills and conceptual knowledge, enabling pupils to become critical thinkers and resilient creators who can design with empathy, function, and innovation in mind.

Aims and Principles

• Creativity and problem-solving: Pupils think imaginatively, solve real-world problems, and design purposeful products that meet user needs.
• Knowledge and understanding: Learning builds progressively on understanding of materials, mechanisms, structures, and nutrition.
• Practical application: Pupils explore, test, and refine their ideas using tools, materials, and design processes.
• Design literacy: Technical vocabulary and visual communication are embedded so pupils can articulate, evaluate, and refine their work.
• Real-world connections: DT links learning to everyday life, local heritage, sustainability, and global innovation – inspiring responsible future designers.

Implementation

We follow the CUSP Design and Technology curriculum, providing a well-sequenced, knowledge-rich approach that helps pupils develop expertise over time. Learning builds progressively from the Early Years through Key Stage 2, ensuring that pupils gain a connected understanding of design principles and processes.

Building on Prior Knowledge

Design learning begins in the Early Years Foundation Stage through play, construction, and food preparation. These early experiences are revisited and deepened through Key Stages 1 and 2. For example, pupils who explore simple levers and sliders in Year 1 apply this knowledge later to create moving products or structures with mechanisms and linkages.

Curriculum Structure and Sequencing

DT is taught through the key disciplines of structures, mechanisms, textiles, electrical systems, and food technology. Each unit builds on what came before, supporting long-term memory and the gradual development of technical expertise. Pupils become increasingly confident in designing, making, and evaluating their own creations.

Knowledge Notes and Knowledge Organisers

Every lesson is supported by Knowledge Notes summarising key learning and technical vocabulary. Knowledge Organisers provide a reference for each unit, ensuring pupils revisit, retain, and apply learning over time. These tools promote independence, retrieval, and fluency.

Retrieval and Low-Stakes Quizzing

Retrieval practice is embedded to strengthen long-term retention. Pupils complete short, cumulative quizzes that revisit prior learning and check understanding of new concepts. Teachers use this information to address misconceptions and reinforce connections across units.

Addressing Misconceptions

Common misconceptions are identified and explored through guided discussion, modelling, and testing. For example, pupils learn that stronger structures depend on shape, joins, and material properties – not just on using more material. Through exploration and reflection, pupils develop accuracy in their technical understanding.

Developing Design Vocabulary

We explicitly teach both Tier 2 (cross-curricular) and Tier 3 (subject-specific) vocabulary, enabling pupils to speak and write confidently about design. This builds their ability to explain design decisions, evaluate products, and reason about materials and function.

Design and Technology in Context

Pupils study influential designers, engineers, and inventors from diverse backgrounds, linking their learning to real-world innovation and industry. They explore how design improves everyday life and contributes to solving global challenges such as sustainability and accessibility.

Equity and Inclusion: RADY, SEND, and Disadvantaged Pupils

Design and Technology at John Wilkinson is ambitious and inclusive. Lessons are adapted so that all pupils – including those with SEND, RADY, and disadvantaged pupils – can access learning, demonstrate creativity, and achieve success.

Support and challenge are balanced through pre-teaching of vocabulary, scaffolding, targeted questioning, and visual modelling. Practical enquiry and collaborative projects allow all pupils to show their thinking and problem-solving in a way that suits their strengths.

We believe in equity of opportunity: every child should experience high expectations, creative challenge, and the joy of purposeful design.

Impact

Our Design and Technology curriculum develops confident, capable young designers who can think critically and apply their creativity to real-world contexts.

Pupils develop secure and connected design knowledge:
They understand how products are designed, made, and improved, and can apply prior learning with increasing confidence.

Pupils think and work like designers:
They plan, prototype, test, and evaluate effectively, using accurate vocabulary and clear reasoning.

Design learning is inclusive and aspirational:
All pupils — including those with SEND, RADY, and disadvantaged backgrounds — are supported and challenged to succeed. Pupils study diverse designers to expand their understanding of creativity and innovation.

Design is purposeful and relevant:
Pupils recognise how design improves lives and contributes to sustainability, health, and community wellbeing.

We monitor impact through lesson visits, book looks, and pupil voice to ensure that learning is remembered, applied, and celebrated across school.

Design and Technology Documents and Progression

Our Design and Technology curriculum is designed for clear progression and long-term retention.

DT LONG TERM PLAN

DT PROGRESSION