Design & Technology

During key stage 3, pupils learn to use a wide range of materials to design and make products. They develop their understanding by investigating familiar products and learning about the work of the manufacturing industry and professional designers.

Children are taught to:

• look at products to see:
• how they work
• how they are used
• whether they meet their users' needs
• whether they use materials efficiently
• what environmental impacts they might have
• test the properties of materials to see how they can be best used
• practise practical skills and tasks
• design and create their own products, making sure that they:
• think carefully about what they have been asked to do
• plan their projects responsibly
• think about how to meet the needs of the end user
• make their own decisions about how best to use time, money and resources
• use computers at various stages in their work
• work in teams where necessary

At the end of Key Stage 3 (age 14), most children are able to:

• draw on different sources of information
• check that they have made good use of information sources
• plan design projects carefully
• make models and drawings to develop their design ideas
• communicate their ideas to others
• draw up a list of aims and features for their designs
• show that they understand the characteristics of the equipment and materials they work with
• check their work as it progresses and change their approach if necessary
• test their products, judging how well they work and whether they could have made them more efficiently