Y1 designed and made their own toys
We absolutely loved inviting the Nursery and Year 2 children to our very own toy museum this week. We got to showcase all of the wonderful toys we made last term including our dolly peg dolls, Indonesian shadow puppets, handmade puzzles and our class doll house. The children were able to explain each toy and how they made it and really enjoyed playing with them together.

This term, Y2 have designed, then built and evaluated their own vehicles. As part of our discussions, we at examples of chassis on other vehicles and evaluated which one would best suit their own model vehicle. The children then measured and cut their own axles to join on to the chassis.

Y3 designed and made moving monsters!
In our DT work this term we have enjoyed making moving monsters using pneumatic systems. We practised mechanisms for pushing air between two syringes or into a balloon to make an object lift up or down and designed a monster with a moving part.

Y4 turned t-shirts into bags.
They drew up their design and created cardboard blocks to print their design onto their bag.

Design and Technology

National Curriculum 2014: Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values. They acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, science, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens. Through the evaluation of past and present design and technology, they develop a critical understanding of its impact on daily life and the wider world. High-quality design and technology education makes an essential contribution to the creativity, culture, wealth and well-being of the nation.

At St Thomas’, our Design and Technology curriculum vision is to develop young children’s skills and knowledge in design, structures, mechanisms, electrical control and a range of materials, including food. Design and Technology encourages children's creativity and encourages them to think about important issues.  Our teaching of D&T follows the design, make and evaluate cycle. Each stage is rooted in technical knowledge.  The design process is rooted in real life, relevant content to give meaning to learning.  While making, children are given choice and a range of tools to choose freely from. Children evaluate their own products against a design criteria.

The subject also links closely with Art, Science, STEM and forest school enabling children to utilise creative thinking and problem solving skills, while developing a strong understanding of health and safety.

DT activities are taught in a variety of ways across the school, sometimes in blocks of taught time or as individual lessons as part of a selected topic. DT activities are planned to ensure continuity and progression by building on the specific knowledge, skills and understanding contained in the subject profile. Engaging units of work are planned using a combination of real-life situations and cross-curricular links. Children engage with the appropriate stages of design depending on their year group and follow on to test, evaluate and edit their end products.

Sewing skills across the school:  making bunting for the PTA Summer Fair