Mixed-age

Full curriculum coverage for mixed-age Design and technology, developing pupils’ skills and knowledge across key areas such as Mechanisms, Structures, Cooking and nutrition and Textiles in Key stage 1, with Mechanical systems, Electrical systems and the Digital world introduced in Key stage 2.

Free trial
  1. Subjects >
  2. Design and technology >
  3. Mixed-age

Useful resources

Useful resources

A guide to mixed-age planning
Progression of skills and knowledge
Assessment spreadsheet
Resources and costings sheet - All years

How it works

The mixed-age units follow a Cycle A and Cycle B format, supporting progression of skills across the age range.

 

Units can be taught in any order within the year group as progression is built on knowledge from previous years rather than between units.

Year 1/2
Cycle A
Cycle B
Design and technology
Mechanisms: Making a moving storybook
(4 lessons)
Explore slider mechanisms and the movement they output to design, make and evaluate a moving storybook from a…
View unit
Design and technology
Structures: Constructing a windmill
(4 lessons)
Exploring windmills, identifying their key features and constructing a windmill, this unit includes a new windmill design for…
View unit
Design and technology
Textiles: Puppets
(4 lessons)
Explore methods of joining fabric. Design and make a character-based hand puppet using a preferred joining technique, before…
View unit
Multiple options
Design and technology
Option 1
Option 2
*New* Mechanisms: Wheels and axles
(5 lessons)
View unit
Mechanisms: Wheels and axles
(4 lessons)
View unit
Design and technology
*New* Cooking and nutrition: Smoothies
(6 lessons)
Cutting and juicing fruits and vegetables to create a smoothie that meets a design brief, this unit gives…
View unit
Design and technology
*New* Mechanisms: Fairground wheel
(5 lessons)
Building a rotating fairground wheel with a free-standing structure, this unit offers a simplified wheel design made from…
View unit
Design and technology
*New* Mechanisms: Fairground wheel
(5 lessons)
Building a rotating fairground wheel with a free-standing structure, this unit offers a simplified wheel design made from…
View unit
Design and technology
*New* Mechanisms: Fairground wheel
(5 lessons)
Building a rotating fairground wheel with a free-standing structure, this unit offers a simplified wheel design made from…
View unit
Design and technology
*New* Mechanisms: Fairground wheel
(5 lessons)
Building a rotating fairground wheel with a free-standing structure, this unit offers a simplified wheel design made from…
View unit
Design and technology
*New* Mechanisms: Fairground wheel
(5 lessons)
Building a rotating fairground wheel with a free-standing structure, this unit offers a simplified wheel design made from…
View unit
Year 3/4
Cycle A
Cycle B
Multiple options
Design and technology
Option 1
Option 2
*New* Mechanical systems: Pneumatic toys
(5 lessons)
View unit
Pneumatic toys
(4 lessons)
View unit
Design and technology
*New* Digital world: Wearable technology
(6 lessons)
Designing digital wearable technology and developing a program and housing for a Micro:bit, this unit includes new teacher…
View unit
Design and technology
*New* Cooking and nutrition: Eating seasonally
(6 lessons)
Learning about seasonal foods and creating a seasonal food tart, this unit provides new lessons with teacher and…
View unit
Design and technology
Structures: Constructing a castle
(4 lessons)
Identify and learn about the key features of a castle, before designing and making a recycled-material castle (structure).
View unit
Multiple options
Design and technology
Option 1
Option 2
Textiles: Egyptian collars
(4 lessons)
View unit
Textiles: Cushions
(4 lessons)
View unit
Design and technology
Electrical systems: Electric poster
(4 lessons)
Introducing information design and developing an electric museum display based on the Romans, this unit strengthens the progression…
View unit
Design and technology
Electrical systems: Torches
(4 lessons)
Identify the difference between electrical and electronic products. Evaluate a range of existing torches and their features, then…
View unit
Design and technology
Electrical systems: Torches
(4 lessons)
Identify the difference between electrical and electronic products. Evaluate a range of existing torches and their features, then…
View unit
Design and technology
Electrical systems: Torches
(4 lessons)
Identify the difference between electrical and electronic products. Evaluate a range of existing torches and their features, then…
View unit
Design and technology
Electrical systems: Torches
(4 lessons)
Identify the difference between electrical and electronic products. Evaluate a range of existing torches and their features, then…
View unit
Design and technology
Electrical systems: Torches
(4 lessons)
Identify the difference between electrical and electronic products. Evaluate a range of existing torches and their features, then…
View unit
Design and technology
Electrical systems: Torches
(4 lessons)
Identify the difference between electrical and electronic products. Evaluate a range of existing torches and their features, then…
View unit
Year 5/6
Cycle A
Cycle B
Design and technology
Textiles: Stuffed toys
(4 lessons)
Designing a stuffed toy and making decisions on materials, decorations and attachments (appendages) after learning how to sew…
View unit
Design and technology
Electrical systems: Doodlers
(4 lessons)
Exploring series circuits and introducing motors by investigating an existing motorised product, this unit encourages the pupils to…
View unit
Design and technology
Structure: Bridges
(4 lessons)
Test and analyse various types of bridge to determine their strength and stability. Explore material properties and sources,…
View unit
Design and technology
Digital world: Monitoring devices
(4 lessons)
Applying computing skills to program a Micro:bit animal monitor and using 3D CAD tools in Tinkercad to design…
View unit
Design and technology
*New* Cooking and nutrition: Developing a recipe
(6 lessons)
Learning a simple bolognese recipe and adapting it to improve nutritional content, this unit provides new lessons with…
View unit
Multiple options
Design and technology
Option 1
Option 2
*New* Gears and pulleys
(5 lessons)
View unit
Making a pop-up book
(4 lessons)
View unit
Multiple options
Design and technology
Option 1
Option 2
*New* Gears and pulleys
(5 lessons)
View unit
Making a pop-up book
(4 lessons)
View unit
Multiple options
Design and technology
Option 1
Option 2
*New* Gears and pulleys
(5 lessons)
View unit
Making a pop-up book
(4 lessons)
View unit
Multiple options
Design and technology
Option 1
Option 2
*New* Gears and pulleys
(5 lessons)
View unit
Making a pop-up book
(4 lessons)
View unit
Multiple options
Design and technology
Option 1
Option 2
*New* Gears and pulleys
(5 lessons)
View unit
Making a pop-up book
(4 lessons)
View unit
Multiple options
Design and technology
Option 1
Option 2
*New* Gears and pulleys
(5 lessons)
View unit
Making a pop-up book
(4 lessons)
View unit
Multiple options
Design and technology
Option 1
Option 2
*New* Gears and pulleys
(5 lessons)
View unit
Making a pop-up book
(4 lessons)
View unit

Related content

Design and technology : Curriculum guide for parents and carers — mixed-age (Cycle A)

Log in Sign up

Design and technology: Curriculum guide for parents and carers — mixed-age (Cycle B)

Log in Sign up

Popular content

Other subjects

For copyright reasons, you may not screenshot this page.
Press esc to exit