🔧 Design & Technology (CUSP) – Barford Primary School

Intent

At Barford Primary School, our Design & Technology curriculum is ambitious, practical and knowledge‑rich, enabling every pupil to become a confident designer, maker and problem‑solver. Following the CUSP Design & Technology curriculum, pupils progressively build their understanding of structures, mechanisms, textiles, electrical systems and food technology from the Early Years to Year 6.

Our curriculum develops both substantive knowledge (the technical knowledge pupils learn about materials, components, mechanisms and processes) and disciplinary knowledge (the iterative design, making and evaluating processes used by designers, engineers and craftspeople). Pupils study the work of a diverse range of designers, engineers and inventors, understanding how design shapes the world and improves lives.

Technical vocabulary is explicitly taught and revisited throughout every unit, enabling pupils to discuss mechanisms, materials, structures and processes with confidence and precision. We aim to nurture resilient, creative and reflective learners who understand the importance of design in everyday life and can apply their knowledge to solve real‑world problems.

A highlight of our curriculum is our whole‑school Cookathon, where pupils showcased their food‑technology skills as part of the Health for Life Award. This event attracted national attention, with BBC and ITV visiting Barford Primary School to celebrate pupils’ achievements in healthy cooking, nutrition and practical food preparation.

Implementation

Design & Technology is taught through the carefully sequenced CUSP D&T curriculum, ensuring technical knowledge and practical skills build progressively throughout the primary years. Each block revisits previously taught concepts while introducing new learning, allowing pupils to strengthen existing skills before applying them in increasingly sophisticated ways.

Every unit introduces pupils to a significant designer, engineer or inventor, enabling them to explore a wide range of innovations, products and design solutions. Photographs of featured designers are displayed throughout the unit, helping pupils make meaningful connections between the individual and their work while recognising that design is a human endeavour that shapes the modern world.

Across the curriculum, pupils progressively develop their understanding of:

• Structures

• Mechanisms (levers, sliders, linkages, gears, cams)

• Textiles

• Electrical systems

• Cooking and nutrition

• Computer‑aided design (CAD) in upper KS2

Skills are carefully sequenced so that new techniques build directly upon prior learning, enabling pupils to become increasingly confident and independent designers.

Technical vocabulary is explicitly taught in every lesson. Pupils learn the correct names for components, tools and processes — from axles and chassis to running stitch, circuit components and mechanical systems — enabling them to communicate ideas clearly and accurately.

Teachers model techniques carefully before pupils practise, experiment and refine their own ideas. Children are encouraged to evaluate both their own products and the work of others, developing resilience and understanding that design is an iterative process involving testing, improving and adapting.

Adaptations are carefully planned to ensure every pupil can fully access the curriculum. For example, pupils with sensory needs may use adapted grips, textured tools, or alternative materials, while additional scaffolds and adult support ensure full participation without reducing ambition.

Impact

By the time pupils leave Barford Primary School, they possess a secure understanding of materials, mechanisms, structures, electrical systems and food technology. They can design purposeful products, apply technical knowledge confidently and evaluate their work using precise vocabulary.

Pupils understand how designers solve problems through creativity, testing and refinement. They appreciate the contribution of designers and engineers from different cultures and historical periods and demonstrate independence, resilience and innovation.

They leave Barford Primary School as confident, knowledgeable young designers who are exceptionally well prepared for secondary Design & Technology and equipped with practical skills for life.

D&T in Action

Design & Technology is celebrated throughout Barford Primary School as a subject that empowers pupils to think creatively, solve problems and improve the world around them.

Every classroom provides opportunities for pupils to explore materials, test mechanisms, refine prototypes and produce high‑quality outcomes. Pupils are encouraged to take risks, evaluate their work and celebrate both individual and collaborative achievements.

Our Cookathon – Health for Life Award is a standout example of D&T in action. Pupils prepared healthy dishes, showcased nutrition knowledge and demonstrated safe, skilled food‑technology practice. The event received national recognition, with BBC and ITV filming pupils’ work and celebrating Barford’s commitment to healthy lifestyles and practical cooking education.

Enrichment

Visiting Designers & Engineers

Pupils work alongside practising designers, engineers and craftspeople who bring professional expertise into the classroom. Workshops enable pupils to experience real‑world design processes, develop technical confidence and understand how products evolve from concept to creation.

Studying Great Designers

Each curriculum block introduces pupils to a new designer, engineer or inventor. Photographs of the featured individual are displayed throughout the unit so pupils can make meaningful connections between the designer and their work. For example, Year 4 study the innovations of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, using his engineering principles to inspire their own structural designs.

This carefully sequenced approach broadens pupils’ cultural capital and helps them understand how design has shaped society across time, cultures and industries.

Extra‑Curricular Opportunities

Creativity continues beyond the school day through our D&T Club, where pupils explore mechanisms, textiles, structures and food technology in a relaxed and enjoyable environment.

These enrichment opportunities encourage pupils to see themselves as designers, inspiring confidence, curiosity and a lifelong appreciation of innovation.

Curriculum End Goals

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

By the end of Reception, children will confidently explore materials, tools and simple construction techniques. They will build models, experiment with joining methods and talk about their creations, laying strong foundations for Key Stage 1 D&T.

Key Stage 1

By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils will confidently use simple mechanisms, structures and textiles techniques. They will explore the work of designers, describe how products work and use technical vocabulary to explain their choices. Pupils will experiment with materials confidently while developing increasing control and precision.

Key Stage 2

By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils will have developed a secure understanding of mechanisms, structures, textiles, electrical systems and food technology through the progressive CUSP D&T curriculum. They will confidently design purposeful products, apply technical knowledge, evaluate and refine their work and demonstrate creativity, resilience and independence throughout the design process.

They leave Barford Primary School as knowledgeable, skilled and confident young designers who are exceptionally well prepared for the creative, technical and disciplinary study of Design & Technology at secondary school.