We value the views of our pupils and hold termly informal chats with groups of pupils from Year 1-Year 6 to hear what they think about each subject. Each half term we see a different group of children so that we get opinions and ideas from throughout the school.
Autumn 2024
DT is when you design something for the real world and you make a model of it with materials to show what it would look like if you made it larger.
DT is designing and making something that does something and is for someone.
I like DT because you can design what you want something to look like.
We can work in groups or on our own if we like.
I like working in groups because you get the best ideas.
We made purses with a stud at Tattenhall. We get to do sewing every Wednesday.
I think we will do something fun next in DT.
It takes a long time to plan.
Planning and cutting things out are the hardest things in DT.
I do DT once a week.
A designer is someone who makes something.
DT is amazing and very good.
I like making things and using your imagination.
I would like to have more materials in DT.
I made my own soft toy buddy in Year 2.
DT is creative and fun.
I like sticking things together with glue.
A designer draws things and makes things.
You can get to make things in real life. You get to draw and sew and build.
I want to do less things on the iPads.
We made dinosaur toys.
We made a chair for a bear in Year 1. The legs had to be the same so it wasn't wobbly.
We are using Tinkercad. You can make lots of things and change the way they look and move them around.
We made a circuit with a switch, lights and motors. We made a fire engine with real wheels in Year 2.
We are doing architecture, we are designing an eco building in group. We will be making it using card.
I did Fun Food Chef last year. I want to do more cooking.
We get to use tools to make things.
I like using Tinkercad.
I want to do DT more.
A designer is someone who creates something.
I wish we could do it more and make anything we want.
We can work in groups or on our own.
We do DT once a week.
DT is where we design thing and make things and technology.
We might build a small house next.
I like that we get to do new things.
DT is making, designing and creating.
DT is fun, exciting and it makes you happy.
DT is a subject where you use online apps to create and design a structure with products like the cardboard lighthouses.
We made a firetruck in Year 2.
Summer 2023
Our Art and D.T. Ambassadors and the Year 5 and 6 children talked to the younger children about what they were learning about in DT. This is what they found out:
- We revise or talk before we start a new lesson to refresh our minds on what we did before.
- When we made birdhouses we used these words: waterproof, rigid, column, slab, beam, diagonal, vertical, horizontal, bracing, malleable, different structures, joints, triangular and joints, quirky and unique.
- I built a fire engine with lots of stuff.
- When we made cams we learned words like design, mechanism, follower, cam and model.
- We learned about architects like Zaha Hadid, she was the first woman to get an architect award and inspired other people.
- The teacher gives you feedback so I know how I can improve my work.
- My teacher gives us honest feedback so we know how to improve our work. She writes in our books and talks to us about it.
- I know I am making progress because my model making is getting better each week and I am better at solving problems now.
- We use scissors, pliers, needles, fabric, hot glue guns and sharpies. It is fun and I am calm and overjoyed!!!
- D.T. is awesome in school. We can use hacksaws, screwdrivers, glue guns and wood.
- I really enjoy it. I feel like I have really improved and I feel good.
- We learn about D.T. so we know how to make things.
- It is important because you learn important skills such as cooking and dismantling things. You can build skills so we can use it in the future.
- You can improve your work if something is wrong or broken, you can fix it with a glue gun or double sided tape.
- When we do Fun Food Chef, we learned how to make new recipes so we can make them again.
- If you finish, you should go back and try to improve it.
- We draw templates, measure carefully and take our time.
- It's amazing because you design stuff, we use saws, scissors and hot glue.
- I learned how to inspire myself in my D.T project. You get to be creative, be free and passionate in designing.
- We learn to have a passion about creativity. It's fun and creative. I like to be creative and like to hear things my teacher tells us.
- We learned how to make a puppet show.
- My teacher reminds us by recapping with us and does activities with us based on it.
- We learned how to make a nightlight with a circuit.
- We learned how to make cams and how to create toys children will use.
- We learned how to create puppets and cut card to make it slide up and down.
- I know I have made progress because we do lots of projects and we learn more and more. We also remember what we learn. When we make mistakes, we learn from them and don't do it again.
- We learned about Vivienne Westwood, making jewellery and clothes.
- Ole Kirk Christiansen - he made Lego which became really famous.
- Sometimes you can run into problem which are hard and you need to solve and it makes you think.
- In D.T. Club it's fun and you can make what you want to.
- Our lessons are interesting because our teacher gives us interesting projects, it's practical and we get to work in groups if we want to.
- D.T. is when you make something for someone that has a use.
- We do fun activities like birdhouses and use different materials.
- We have learned how to use different materials and which materials and shapes were the best to use. We learned how to make stable structures.
- We get to to design, build and make and our imaginations come to life.
- Our teacher makes it interesting by showing us how to do things and giving out ideas so we can magpie ideas, we can discuss with our friends because we can sit next to each other.
- Our teacher helps us..
- Resilience is important in D.T.
- When we made birdhouses, we learnt about Frank Lloyd Wright because he designed many famous buildings in America.
- The work in D.T. is hard because we have to tackle lots of problems.
- In D.T. Club we learn new skills every week, We didn't know how to use D.T. equipment.
- D.T. is important because you can design things before you make them.
- We made fire engines and learned these words: axle holder, wheel, friction, dowel, chassis, design, make, evaluate.
- We made sliding pictures and did cooking with the Fun Food Chef.
- We learned how to make sliding pictures, we did drawing, cutting paper, made the slider insert to use making our drawing pop up.
- I have got better at cutting. We have to find ways of fixing problems.
- In D.T. you can make simple electrical circuits, where you can try and make a bulb light up.
- We learn about D.T because some of us want to be electricians and we can learn about wires and circuits in D.T.
- I like D.T because it is always fun learning new exciting things and we love to use wires in school.
- I like D.T because we can to make circuits and things like fire engines.
- In Year 1 we make things like slider pictures, in year 2 we make fire engines and in Year 3 we make packaging like a chocolate box. We learned about Theodore Tobler.
- Our teacher puts things on Seesaw to help us remember. She recaps what we have done.
- We learn how to make folds in card to make our chocolate boxes.
- I know I am making good progress because my models are improving every year.
- This year we made cam mechanisms (Y6) and packaging (Y5). We learn about D.T. to help us with our designing and make it better.
- We get to make funny things work as a team.
- We get to do fun stuff like making a fire engine.
- Our teacher inspires and supports us.
- D.T is important because you get to make circuits, know how to make models and problem solve.
- Our teacher bases lessons on a designer and we say designer names when we do the register.
- We enjoy lessons because we have something to entertain ourselves and have a project to work on and improve.
- We use words like construct, mould, model and stable.
Spring 2023
EYFS
- I made a lighthouse with a light at the top. I used double tape (sided) to stick it. The light has a switch and the lid has to come off so I can turn it off.
Autumn 2022
The children were excited to share their projects with me, they were able to show videos of them working on Seesaw and had Design Project Books to show their designer research and design work.
They also talked about DT Club and asked about what they would be doing for their next afterschool project. We went through the DT Roadmap in their DT Project books to remind them what was coming next in school too.
Year 6
- I like that we can do our own stuff. We get to use the tools and know how to join things in different ways. We can use lots of different materials.
- We have new glue guns that work better now.
- We set up for DT club, we know where everything is and get the area ready.
Year 5
- We were in the other classroom and had to queue up for glue guns, it will be better when we have more space.
- We could make any shape for our birdhouse. It was fun making it and cutting wood and making it with our partner.
- I liked that I could work on my own and do my own design.
Year 4
- We designed a night light, it was good looking at night light designs to give us ideas.
- They were really fiddly to make, you could make your own pattern on the computer for the sides.
Year 3
- We designed a chocolate box and learned about Theodor Tobler and packaging.
Year 2
- I made a fire engine with doors, windows, wheels and all the equipment to go on it - ladders and hoses, axes, torches and sirens.
- I used different tapes and glue to make and join my toy together.
Year 1
- I made a slider picture. I used thick card and scissors. I drew out my design and cut it out and made it work. I did a rocket. Someone did footballs, dinosaurs and cars.
Spring 2022
All the children were confidently talking about their real love of design technology and sharing with one another all the projects they have enjoyed so far in their classes.
Year 6
- We used different skills like planning and trying to decide what worked best. We used tools - saws and hot glue guns to join materials like wood and card.
Year 5
- We made a yurt and designing it made us think about what it would be like to make one in real life in the woods.
- You draw a plan to help you remember what you want to design and make. I drew sticks, and how you would join them. We had help to use the saws and glue guns.
The Year 5 and 6 children talked to the younger children about what they were learning about in D.T. This is what they found out:
Year 6
Cam toys -We learn about DT to find out how things work and how to solve problems.
- We need to know about what materials to use. We draw structural designs, make circuits and make stuff. The product has to have a function and be designed for a someone.
- Designers we know about: Albert Einstein, the person who made Lego (Ole Christiansen), Nikola Tesler, Thomas Edison, Coco Chanel, Jo Malone, Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood, Graham Bell and William Boeing. Last year we did yurts and upcycled T shirts. We have a DT book that we design and plan in and write notes in. Words we know about DT: textiles, join, stable, structure, safe, materials, test and design. We have been learning about what a cam mechanism is. In DT Afterschool club we can design and make our own Projects in Year 6. I like doing DT club because it gives you a head start when we do class projects. I enjoy doing my own projects. DT is important because it's a later life skill.
Year 5
- We made Wooden frame structures (bird houses) we learned about structural designs and materials. We learned how to measure and how to create strong structures and how to be safe with glue guns. We enjoy making and designing things. DT is Design Technology and it is where you learn how things work and how to make things. We design for a person and it has to have a purpose. Last year we made Iron Men with lights. We use glue guns, bench hooks, DT scissors, circuits, tape, rulers, iPads, saws and wood. We learn about DT so we can learn how to build and create anything. We learned about designers like Frank Lloyd Wright, Zara Hadid and David Adjaye. It is challenging because we use different techniques and tasks. We learned to use the saws correctly. My teacher talks about things I've never heard of before. I love DT because we can make anything and I like making my own projects. In Afterschool club we made a wire buzzer game an- d now we are making tree houses. We make circuits and structures with tools. I would like to use drills next to make things secure.
Year 4
- It's challenging but in a good way. DT is important because it teaches us about how to make things and how things work. Words we know about DT: Design, technology, build, circuit, test and change. It's fun because you can build anything you want. I love designing big and small things like our night light. We learned about how to make night lights and electrical systems. We learn about DT because we learn how to make machines and structures so when we grow up we can be a designer and make things for a job and understand how things work. We used Purple Mash to make our design and our own patterns, we had to think about the size and shape. In afterschool club we made air powered cars and now we are doing tree houses. We use glue guns, paper, card, scissors, wood dowelling, sand paper, bench hooks, tape, saws and string.
Year 3
- We designed Chocolate packaging, we learned about Theodore Tobler and the history and design of Toblerone. We thought about why packaging uses colours and what they need to have. We like DT, My teacher puts fun into it! We can design and draw pictures of what we are going to make. We do designing, making and building. Last year we did fire engines. Designs have to be sturdy and strong.
Year 2
- We learned how to make vehicles with axles and wheels that move. I used lots of tape. Double (sided) tape was strong, masking tape is easy to use. We designed a new fire engine and made things like tools for the fire engine. We learned how to build the structures of a fire engine.
Year 1
- We made slider pictures like in books and cards. I learned how to make things move. I made a football stadium and the goal keeper moved to save the goal. We do DT for fun and to build and we need to keep things stable. Mrs Gordon helps us if it is too hard. In Reception I made a bridge for Billy Goats Gruff out of toilet roll and cardboard.
Year 4
- We used glue guns to make our iron men, we collected recycled materials, made a plan and joined them together.
- We made electrical circuits with switches to make our iron men eyes light up. We thought about making them brighter and turning them off.
- We made chocolate wrappers with card structure nets.
Year 3
- We made fire engines in Year 2 with wooden axles, wheels and frames.
Year 2
- We made fire engines with wooden wheels. card, wood and paper. We used saws and scissors carefully.
- We made 3D structures and designed and made models. I liked when we used the tools.
Summer
We asked pupils what they can remember about D.T. in our school...
- Making the Iron Men because we got to make it by ourselves.
- You do lots of harder stuff in D.T. like Christmas bags. It was hard, but fun.
- Sewing, because you make something you can take home and use. I made a cushion, the sewing was hard and I needed help sometimes. I loved doing that.
Using tools and glue guns.
We asked pupils why they enjoy D.T. in our school...
- It's fun.
- I can create and design cool things.
- I can make models and experiment what things do.
- We use unwanted materials.
- We make things using imagination.
- I can make them and take them home afterwards.
- I can play with the models I make later.
- We have loads of glue guns so we don't have to share or wait for ages.
Autumn
We asked pupils what D.T. have you done at our school?
- Making Christmas bags.
- The Iron Man project, we used recycled metal!
- Sewing cushions, it took a long time and got tangled but I finished it and took it home.
- Making a disaster Shelter.
- Making a Yurt.
We asked pupils if the work that you do in D.T. is hard?
- It depends on what you are doing, cutting out and putting things together is not hard but making flat things 2D into 3D things is hard.
- It is quite hard but I have got better at cutting and using the glue gun so it's easier now.
- The design sheets help us to organise what we are doing.
- Sometimes I need help with thinking of ideas, it's better to work in a group.
- I like working in small steps so I remember what I need to do.
- Sometimes the cutting is hard but I ask for help.
-Not that hard, I am quite good at it.
- It can be hard to know what to do next and how to do it.
Spring
We asked pupils how do they know what they can do to improve their work?
- Learning from our mistakes.
- Ask friends and teachers.
- Look at other peoples work for ideas to improve my own work.
- I try different things to fix it and start again if I need to and learn from mistakes.
- I like using ideas from existing products put on our tables for us to look at during the day. (some of these were photos or teacher/past pupil models).
We asked pupils what they would like to do more of in school...
- Make more complex models that you can't make at home. Use things like saws and those wooden things (bench hooks).
- More big projects - making working things like when we made a catapult - team creations.
Summer
We asked pupils what we do to help them learn more and remember more...
- Teachers recap knowledge and go over work from the other years.
- We go through how to use the tools before we start and the design sheets sometimes have words we can use to help us.
- The teacher asks us to evaluate our work with a partner, we can talk about what we have done and how we can make it better.
- Using the huge lever models at the front helped us to work out how they go and so we could make our own.
- Looking at examples and playing with them, like the axles with pegs or card models.
- Sometimes we stop and walk around to see what other groups are doing, we talk about how they have done things and add ideas to our own models.
- We watch a power point at the beginning and it can stay on the screen to help to show us examples and go through new words, we talk about what we are doing and share ideas.
We asked the pupils if they felt challenged in D.T.?
- I do lots of this at home so sometimes it is challenging.
- I have never used tools unless I am in school, it is hard but I have got better at it.
- D.T. is challenging but some projects are harder than others.
- It's easier if you work in a group because you can share the cutting and ideas.
