Design Technology
The Design and Technology curriculum at Gilmour Primary School is structured into blocks, with each block focusing on specific disciplines, including food and nutrition, mechanisms, structures, systems, electrical systems, materials, and textiles. Vertical progression is purposefully embedded within the curriculum, ensuring that pupils revisit and develop their skills in these key areas throughout their primary education, with increasing levels of challenge and complexity.
In addition to the core knowledge required for success in each discipline, the curriculum highlights important aspects of growth in the Working as a Designer section. Each module focuses on enhancing different competencies, supporting teachers in understanding pupils’ broader progress as designers. This framework allows teachers to monitor how effectively pupils are acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in Design and Technology.
At Gilmour Primary School, we follow the CUSP Design and Technology curriculum, which provides a well-structured and engaging learning experience for our pupils. This programme includes a carefully sequenced set of lesson plans, contextual reference materials, and vocabulary modules that focus on the language of emotion.
To support high-quality teaching, CUSP offers teacher guidance videos, which clearly demonstrate key techniques, skills, and methods. Alongside these, annotated exemplifications help teachers assess pupil outcomes and enhance their own subject knowledge. A detailed list of materials and resources is provided for each learning block, ensuring smooth and effective lesson delivery.
A key focus of our Design and Technology curriculum is developing pupils’ oracy and vocabulary skills, enabling them to confidently discuss their own work and evaluate the work of others using subject-specific language.
The curriculum also includes a clear progression of skills across each year group, ensuring pupils build upon their learning as they advance through the school. This structured approach helps us nurture creativity, problem-solving skills, and a deep understanding of design and technology.
The national curriculum for design and technology aims to ensure that all pupils:
- develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world
- build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills in order to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users
- critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others
- understand and apply the principles of nutrition and learn how to cook.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary forms a key part of our wider curriculum. Subject specific Tier 2 and Tier 3
words are incorporated in each module and pupils are encouraged to develop their own
‘Vital Vocabulary’ lists along with dual coding to expand their science vocabulary
repertoire.
Oracy
When discussing their findings or presenting information, pupils are encouraged to speak
using full sentences and incorporating the key scientific vocabulary. Pupils are supported
to develop their oracy skills across the school with the use of ‘Did you know…’ where children will share knowledge on our social media platforms.
Curriculum Overview
KS1
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
| Year 1 | Mechanisms | Structures | Food and Nutrition | Understanding Materials | Textiles | Food and Nutrition |
| Year 2 | Textiles | Food and Nutrition | Mechanisms | Understanding Materials | Food and Nutrition | Structures |
KS2
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
| Year 3 | Textiles | Food and Nutrition | Mechanisms | Food and Nutrition | Systems | Structures |
| Year 4 | Food and Nutrition | Mechanisms | Textiles | Structures | Electrical Systems | Food and Nutrition |
| Year 5 | Food and Nutrition | Systems | Textiles | Food and Nutrition | Structures | Mechanisms |
| Year 6 | Food and Nutrition | Mechanisms | Food and Nutrition | Structures | Electrical Systems | Textiles |