NC Content

D&T 

NC Subject content 

Topic 

Y1 

Key stage 1

Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils should be taught the

knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing

and making. They should work in a range of relevant contexts [for example, the home and

school, gardens and playgrounds, the local community, industry and the wider

environment].

When designing and making, pupils should be taught to:

Design

• design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users

based on design criteria

• generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing,

templates, mock-ups and, where appropriate, information and communication

technology

Make

• select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for

example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing]

• select from and use a wide range of materials and components, including construction

materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their characteristics

Evaluate

• explore and evaluate a range of existing products
• evaluate their ideas and products against design criteria

Technical knowledge

• build structures, exploring how they can be made stronger, stiffer and more stable
• explore and use mechanisms [for example, levers, sliders, wheels and axles], in their

products.

Cooking and Nutrition

• use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes
• understand where food comes from.

• Playground Equipment
• Build a spaceship
• Make a dinosaur (levers)
• Building houses
• Egg dropping
• Pancake making
• African themed projects (textiles)

Y2 

• Make a scarecrow
• Create a landmark
• Viking helmet, shield, boat
• Cook on a fire

Y3 

Key Stage 2

Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils should be taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. They should work in a range of relevant contexts [for example, the home, school, leisure, culture, enterprise, industry and the wider environment].

When designing and making, pupils should be taught to:

Design

• use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional,

appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups

• generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated

sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and

computer-aided design

Make          

• select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks

[for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing], accurately

• select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction

materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic

qualities

Evaluate

• investigate and analyse a range of existing products
• evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the

views of others to improve their work

• understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped

shape the world

Technical knowledge

• 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.

Cooking and Nutrition

• understand and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet
• prepare and cook a variety of predominantly savoury dishes using a range of cooking techniques
• understand seasonality, and know where and how a variety of ingredients are grown, reared, caught and processed.

• Design plant pots
• Growing (mechanisms)
• Stitching textiles
• Play dough characters
• Ingredients and recipes

Y4 

• Alarm system

Y5 

• Making bread
• Textiles and sewing

Y6 

• Cooking burgers
• Building bridges
• Fairground ride (electrical)