Good subject leadership in primary design and technology ensures an effective curriculum, helps children to learn about the designed world and supports teachers in teaching the subject well. How a subject leader leads and manages the curriculum is also an integral part of an Ofsted inspection.
In this blog, curriculum expert and Cornerstones Director Melanie Moore looks at the importance of design and technology as a subject and the role of a primary school design and technology subject leader.
The importance of design and technology
Anything human-made has been designed and engineered in some way. Buildings, machines, computers, home products, fashion and homes are all examples of design and technology in the real world.
Design and technology education involves three important elements: learning about the designed and made world, understanding how things work and designing and making functional products for particular purposes and users.
Design and technology, also known as DT, is a statutory subject for schools in England. It aims to develop children’s creative, practical and problem-solving skills by designing, making and evaluating everyday and other human-made products. Moreover, it can develop critical skills in collaborative working and knowledge about keeping safe when creating and using products.
The skills children learn in the subject can also support learning across the whole curriculum. An effective design and technology curriculum should help develop children’s knowledge of materials, systems, techniques and famous designers and engineers. Children should also begin to make links with other subjects, for example, materials in science, measuring in maths and design in art. It also has many valuable and natural interdisciplinary links with computing, particularly around the curriculum aspect of computer control. Most schools in England follow the national curriculum, which includes design and technology as a compulsory subject at Key Stages 1 and 2. The statutory Programmes of Study are as follows:
Key Stage 1 (ages 5-7)
In Key Stage 1, the main focus is on introducing the children to basic design concepts, tools and materials, including:
- Identifying and naming basic materials (e.g., paper, cardboard, fabric, wood)
- Exploring different shapes and textures
- Creating simple designs using construction kits, such as Lego or Duplo
- Developing simple models using a range of materials and tools
- Learning about safety rules and how to use tools responsibly
- Understanding the design process and basic design vocabulary
Key Stage 2 (ages 7-11)
In Key Stage 2, the main focus is on developing children’s understanding of design ideas, skills, concepts, tools and materials, including:
- Developing more complex designs using sketches and technical drawings
- Working with a wider range of materials and tools, such as glue guns, saws and drill
- Learning about the properties of materials and how they can be manipulated
- Understanding how to incorporate electrical components into designs, such as switches and bulbs
- Developing more advanced problem-solving skills through design challenges
- Learning about sustainability and how to create designs that are environmentally friendly
- Using computer-aided design (CAD) software to create 3-D models and prototypes
Interdisciplinary links
Design and technology links well to other areas of the curriculum, such as science, art and mathematics. For example, children might investigate products for insulation linked to science or design a clothing item with a pattern in art and design. However, while interdisciplinary links can enhance children’s understanding of design and technology, you still need to retain the integrity of the subject.
Design and technology subject leadership
A good leader for any curriculum subject is responsible for planning, creating, monitoring and evaluating the school’s curriculum. It is equally important that they and the senior leadership team form a supportive and inclusive learning environment that promotes well-being and success for teachers and children.
As a design and technology subject leader, you will provide direction, support and guidance in effectively planning, teaching and assessing your school’s design and technology curriculum. This will also involve monitoring and evaluating the teaching and learning of your subject across the school and ensuring that your curriculum enables all children to progress.
In a nutshell, you should:
- Ensure your subject knowledge is of a high standard and keep abreast of current national and global subject issues, government directives and subject reports.
- Know your school’s design and technology curriculum well and make sure you can answer questions about what is taught, when and why.
- Ensure that your design and technology curriculum is well-planned, challenging and engaging, with clear progression and links to other areas of the curriculum.
- Ensure that effective assessment strategies are in place and that progress in design and technology is monitored and tracked over time, and use this data to identify areas for improvement.
- Support and develop teachers’ subject knowledge and provide opportunities for professional development, which may include leading training sessions, arranging visits to other schools or accessing external training and resources.
- Ensure appropriate resources and equipment are available to support the effective delivery of your design and technology curriculum.
Design and technology deep-dive questions
Ofsted inspections in primary design and technology are designed to assess the quality of teaching and learning in the subject, the curriculum, leadership and management and the overall impact of design and technology education on children.
Here are some deep-dive questions that Ofsted inspectors might ask during a primary design and technology inspection:
- How does the school ensure the design and technology curriculum is coherent, sequenced and builds on prior knowledge and skills?
- How does the school ensure the curriculum is inclusive and accessible to all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils?
- How does the school assess children’s knowledge, skills and understanding of design and technology?
- How do teachers use assessment information to plan and adapt their teaching?
- How does the school ensure that the assessment of design and technology is accurate and reliable?
- How does the school ensure that teaching is of a high quality and meets the needs of all children?
- Can you tell me the story of physical design and technology across the curriculum?
- What are the gaps in your design and technology curriculum?
- How do teachers address misconceptions?
- Can you show me evidence in children’s books of how the concept of design is taught over time?
- How is key design and technology vocabulary taught across the school?
- Which children should I speak to in order to hear about the topic of food?
- How is your design and technology curriculum organised?
- How is your design and technology curriculum assessed?
- How do you monitor the quality of design and technology across the curriculum?
- What would you like to improve in the design and technology curriculum?
Overall, Ofsted inspectors will be looking for evidence that your school’s design and technology curriculum is well-planned, well-delivered and positively impacts children’s learning and development. They will also seek evidence that leaders and teachers are committed to continuous improvement and willing to learn from best practices and feedback.
Managing your design and technology curriculum
Subject leadership can be a challenging role in the current educational climate. Finding ways to make your job manageable and maintain your well-being is a must and will, in turn, allow you to achieve an effective curriculum with minimal stress.
At Cornerstones, we help subject leaders to plan, lead, assess, teach and manage a high-quality, ambitious design and technology curriculum. All the tools, materials and resources you need are housed on the Curriculum Maestro platform, including a fully sequenced design and technology curriculum, a subject-specific knowledge and skills curriculum framework and thousands of teaching resources, saving you hours. The platform also allows you to monitor, assess and review the teaching and learning of your subject across Nursery to Year 6.
We ensure you are confident and ready to go with Maestro with a subject leader training pack to download and ongoing live support from our expert team of curriculum advisors. The difference you can make with Maestro is clear from the start.