Bathford Church School 
Design & Technology
Children enjoy a rich programme of practical design challenges, cooking, construction and textile projects that develop creativity, resilience and problem-solving skills.
Our Vision for Design & Technology
At Bathford Church School, our vision of Grow, Care, Serve, Share is at the heart of our Design & Technology curriculum.
We want children to become creative, resilient and innovative thinkers who can identify problems and design meaningful solutions. Through Design & Technology, children learn to be designers, makers and evaluators, developing practical skills that prepare them for life beyond the classroom.
We encourage children to be curious, take risks, persevere when things do not go to plan and take pride in creating high-quality outcomes. Through designing and making, children learn that mistakes are part of the creative process and that their ideas can be developed and improved over time.
What Do Children Learn?
We use the Kapow Primary Design & Technology curriculum to ensure knowledge and skills are carefully sequenced and build progressively throughout a child's time at Bathford.
Children develop their understanding of:
- Designing and evaluating products
- Technical knowledge and practical skills
- Structures and construction
- Mechanisms and moving parts
- Textiles
- Electrical systems
- Cooking and nutrition
As they move through the school, children revisit and build upon key concepts, developing increasing confidence, independence and creativity.
Thinking Like Design Technologists
At Bathford, children develop as designers and makers through four key areas:
- Design – generating ideas and creating purposeful designs.
- Make – selecting tools, materials and techniques to create products.
- Technical Knowledge – understanding how products work and how they are constructed.
- Evaluate – reflecting on and improving products and designs.
These areas are woven throughout the curriculum, helping children develop creativity, practical skills and confidence as problem-solvers.
How Do Children Learn?
Design & Technology is taught through engaging, hands-on projects that encourage children to explore, experiment, create and refine their ideas.
Children learn to:
- Research and investigate
- Generate and communicate ideas
- Select appropriate tools and materials
- Make and improve products
- Evaluate their work and the work of others
- Solve problems creatively
Learning is practical and purposeful, giving children opportunities to apply their knowledge in real-life contexts.
In Key Stage 2, Design & Technology is taught as part of our mixed-age afternoon learning model. Children work collaboratively across year groups, sharing ideas, learning from one another and developing teamwork, leadership and independence.
What Will Children Take Away?
Through Design & Technology, children develop:
- Creativity and imagination
- Practical making skills
- Resilience and perseverance
- Problem-solving and critical thinking
- Collaboration and communication skills
- An understanding of healthy lifestyles and nutrition
- An appreciation of how design and technology shape the world around them
We want our children to leave Bathford with the confidence to think creatively, tackle challenges and turn their ideas into reality.
Design & Technology Curriculum
Our Design & Technology Long-Term Plan provides an overview of the projects, knowledge and skills taught across the school.
It shows how learning is carefully sequenced to ensure children build their design, making and evaluation skills over time, developing the confidence and creativity needed to become successful designers and problem-solvers.