At The Bliss Charity school, children receive a design and technology curriculum which allows them to exercise their creativity through designing and making. They will leave our school with the skills they need to pursue careers within science, technology and maths industries regardless of their gender, race, disability or socio-economic background. 

Design and Technology is the activity by which children develop their research, problem-solving, teamwork and creative thinking skills. It is a vital part of pupils’ learning at Bliss because it equips our children with an extensive range of practical skills that they will need if they choose to follow a career in industries such as construction, engineering, fashion and design. Skills are taught progressively to ensure that all children are able to learn, practise and develop as they move through the school. Value is given to practical activities where children can apply their knowledge using a hands-on approach in order to achieve specific learning outcomes.

The teachers plan based on the National Curriculum objectives for Design and Technology and the Kapow scheme of work; taking into account the children’s prior learning in previous units and year groups. On long term plans, it is outlined which units will be taught throughout the academic year and when, making links where possible to other areas of the curriculum to make their D & T learning as contextualised and meaningful as possible. The medium-term planning is supported through Kapow and is where teachers teach sequential lessons building on children’s skills, knowledge and understanding.

All teaching of D & T follows the design, make and evaluate cycle. Each stage is rooted in technical knowledge. The design process will be rooted in real life, relevant contexts to give meaning to learning. Whilst making, children will be given choice and a range of tools to choose freely from. They will be encouraged to make mistakes as this is an integral part of design and technology and enables children to keep learning. The focus is on the process but not necessarily product.

To evaluate, children should be able to evaluate their own products against a design criteria. Each of these steps will be rooted in technical knowledge and vocabulary. 

The key skills we teach the children are:

• cooking and nutrition,
• mechanisms,
• structures,
• textiles,
• electrical and mechanical systems.

We want the children at The Bliss Charity School to develop their imagination, their critical thinking and their understanding of the world around them through their love of Design and Technology. We aim for our children to question and think innovatively about the world around them in order to design and develop their own products with a purpose in mind.

By the time the children leave this school they will have:

• An excellent attitude to learning and independent working.
• The ability to use time efficiently and work constructively and productively with others.
• The ability to carry out thorough research, show initiative and ask questions to develop a deep detailed knowledge of users’ needs.
• The ability to act as responsible designers and makers, working ethically, using finite materials carefully and working safely.
• A thorough knowledge of which tools, equipment and materials to use to make their products.
• The ability to apply mathematical knowledge and skills accurately.
• The ability to manage risks well to manufacture products safely and hygienically.
• The vocabulary to explain the process and outcomes of their work.
• A passion for the subject.