Design & Technology
At Rivermead, our Design & Technology (DT) curriculum inspires pupils to become innovative, reflective, and creative problem-solvers. Through hands-on experiences, children explore, design, make, and evaluate products to meet specific tasks, developing practical skills alongside critical thinking and resilience.
We aim to develop confident young designers who can think imaginatively and work purposefully. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on and improve their designs, learning how to take risks, evaluate outcomes, and solve problems.
Our progressive DT curriculum is rooted in the National Curriculum and designed to challenge, support, and engage all learners from Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 6.
The curriculum ensures:
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High aspirations, with increasing complexity across year groups
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Balanced coverage of core DT skills including mechanisms, structures, textiles, cooking, electrical systems, and digital technologies
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Strong continuity with Early Years provision in expressive arts and design
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Inclusive access for all pupils, with adaptations as needed.
How we teach DT
DT is taught through an adapted version of the Kapow scheme of work, which follows the key stages of the design process: design, make, and evaluate. Lessons include independent and collaborative activities, allowing pupils to work with a variety of materials and tools. Knowledge organisers and teacher videos support both pupils and staff in delivering and engaging with high-quality DT content.Kapow’s spiral curriculum structure means that key skills are revisited and deepened over time. Teaching is practical and varied to suit different learning styles, and units are closely aligned to national expectations.
Pupil progress is monitored through a mix of formative and summative assessment, including quizzes, project outcomes, observations, and discussions. Teachers assess both the quality of the finished product and pupils’ ability to reflect on and improve their designs.
At the end of each year, teachers make informed judgements about each pupil’s attainment, based on a broad range of evidence. These assessments guide future teaching and are reported to parents annually.