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.

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Useful resources

Useful resources

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
New!
Multiple options
Multiple options
Design and technology
Option 1
Option 2
Mechanisms: Matching slider game
(5 lessons)
View unit
Mechanisms: Making a moving storybook
(4 lessons)
View unit
Design and technology
Structures: Stable structures
(5 lessons)
Exploring how structures can be made more stable with a wide base and extra weight added to the…
View unit
New!
Multiple options
Multiple options
Design and technology
Option 1
Option 2
Textiles: Simple stitches
(5 lessons)
View unit
Textiles: Puppets
(4 lessons)
View unit
New!
Design and technology
Mechanisms: Wheels and axles
(5 lessons)
Exploring how a wheel’s shape, smoothness and attachment affect movement, the children learn how to use a wheel,…
View unit
Design and technology
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
Mechanisms: Fairground wheel
(5 lessons)
Building a rotating fairground wheel with a freestanding structure, this unit offers a simplified wheel design made from…
View unit
Design and technology
Mechanisms: Fairground wheel
(5 lessons)
Building a rotating fairground wheel with a freestanding structure, this unit offers a simplified wheel design made from…
View unit
Design and technology
Mechanisms: Fairground wheel
(5 lessons)
Building a rotating fairground wheel with a freestanding structure, this unit offers a simplified wheel design made from…
View unit
Design and technology
Mechanisms: Fairground wheel
(5 lessons)
Building a rotating fairground wheel with a freestanding structure, this unit offers a simplified wheel design made from…
View unit
Design and technology
Mechanisms: Fairground wheel
(5 lessons)
Building a rotating fairground wheel with a freestanding structure, this unit offers a simplified wheel design made from…
View unit
Year 3/4
Cycle A
Cycle B
Design and technology
Mechanical systems: Pneumatic toys
(5 lessons)
Exploring pneumatic systems, the children will apply their understanding to design and create a pneumatic toy using different…
View unit
Design and technology
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
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
New!
Multiple options
Multiple options
Design and technology
Option 1
Option 2
Structures: Product packaging
(5 lessons)
View unit
Structures: Constructing a castle
(4 lessons)
View unit
Design and technology
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
Multiple options
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: 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
New!
Multiple options
Multiple options
Design and technology
Option 1
Option 2
Electrical systems: Wobble bots
(5 lessons)
View unit
Electrical systems: Doodlers
(4 lessons)
View unit
Design and technology
Structure: Bridges
(4 lessons)
Testing and analysing different bridges to determine their strength and stability. Exploring material properties and sources, before marking,…
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
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
Design and technology
Mechanical systems: Gears and pulleys
(5 lessons)
Exploring the history, mechanics and uses of gears and pulleys, children apply their understanding to make a gear…
View unit
Design and technology
Mechanical systems: Automata toys
(4 lessons)
Developing a functional automata window display, this unit offers clearer video instruction, opportunities to interpret exploded diagrams and…
View unit
Design and technology
Mechanical systems: Automata toys
(4 lessons)
Developing a functional automata window display, this unit offers clearer video instruction, opportunities to interpret exploded diagrams and…
View unit
Design and technology
Mechanical systems: Automata toys
(4 lessons)
Developing a functional automata window display, this unit offers clearer video instruction, opportunities to interpret exploded diagrams and…
View unit
Design and technology
Mechanical systems: Automata toys
(4 lessons)
Developing a functional automata window display, this unit offers clearer video instruction, opportunities to interpret exploded diagrams and…
View unit
Design and technology
Mechanical systems: Automata toys
(4 lessons)
Developing a functional automata window display, this unit offers clearer video instruction, opportunities to interpret exploded diagrams and…
View unit
Design and technology
Mechanical systems: Automata toys
(4 lessons)
Developing a functional automata window display, this unit offers clearer video instruction, opportunities to interpret exploded diagrams and…
View unit

Related content

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

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

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