Planning Primary Design and Technology

This handbook seeks to show how the revised "Design and Technology National Curriculum" can be covered and assessed through one unit of work each term in Key Stages 1 and 2. It has been written to help primary teachers plan and implement the revised "Design and Technology National Curriculum". It considers new statutory requirements and provides a sample policy and scheme of work which can be followed directly or adapted to a school's own needs. Alternatively, the framework and the photocopiable sheets can be used by a school developing its own policy and scheme of work. The sample scheme of work consists of six units of work for Key Stage 1 and 12 units of work for Key Stage 2, which cover all the requirements of the programmes of study. The units of work, one for each term, include: focused practical tasks to teach new skills; disassembly and evaluative activities, which look at existing products; and design and make activities. There is guidance on assessment to help teachers use the level descriptions. All units of work can be carried out in a normal primary classroom and do not require specialist knowledge of design and technology.
The section on tools and materials helps schools identify the main equipment needed for design and technology activities and illustrates the basic techniques required.