At Nottingham Academy, Design and Technology (DT) prepares children to take part in the development of tomorrow’s changing world. Our Intent is that the subject encourages children to become autonomous and creative problem solvers, both as individuals and as part of a team where they are also able to develop their innovative thinking. Design and Technology enables them to identify needs and opportunities and to respond by developing ideas, reflecting and evaluating present and past design technology and eventually making products and systems. 

Substantive and disciplinary knowledge

Substantive knowledge in design and technology is based on the knowledge of four key elements of the process of design (design, make, evaluate and technical knowledge). All of these elements will be taught from Nursery to Year 6 and vocabulary is taught explicitly and will be deliberately practised and applied through the 4 key elements.

Disciplinary knowledge in design and technology is the process of enabling children to use their substantive knowledge of products and materials around them to make links between and across different areas of the curriculum. Disciplinary Knowledge in design and technology will equip the children with the opportunity to explain how and why products have changed over time and how they might be further improved in the future. They can use their knowledge and understanding to suggest how existing products may be improved with the advances in modern technology.