Design and technology classes ‘out of date’ claims Ofsted

An Ofsted report on the teaching of design and technology has claimed that too many subject teachers are failing to keep pace with global technological advances and making too little use of modern technology.

Conversely, the report claims, schools in China and France are emphasising the study of more modern technologies such as robotics, electronics and computer-aided design, resulting in much better pupil engagement.

However the report did find that ‘achievement in D&T was good or outstanding in just over three fifths of the primary schools visited and just under half of the secondary schools visited; it was unsatisfactory in none of them.’

Where the subject was being taught particularly well was in those schools where teachers challenged their students, assigning interesting and relevant tasks, and capitalising on the use of up-to-date ICT and other technologies. However, the report found that in ‘just over a quarter of the primary schools and about half of the secondary schools visited, there were not enough opportunities for pupils to develop knowledge of electronics, systems and control, and computer-aided design and manufacture.’

The report suggested that more specialist knowledge and subject-specific training was required.

Ofsted chief inspector Christine Gilbert described how: “most pupils in the schools visited enjoyed designing and making products, solving real problems for people in their communities and further afield, and seeing their ideas taking shape. This was vitally important to them. Achievement and provision in D&T was best where up-to-date technologies were used and explained accurately. But the variation between the best and the weakest provision is unacceptably wide.”

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Download the full Ofsted report 'Meeting technological challenges?' below.