Shaping D&T: Your Voice in the Curriculum Review

In this episode of Talking D&T, I dive into the recently announced curriculum review for England and what it means for design and technology education. As someone who's been part of discussions shaping D&T's future, I share my thoughts on how teachers can get involved and influence government policy.

I explore the review's terms of reference, highlighting the emphasis on a 'broader curriculum' and what this could mean for D&T. Drawing on my experience, I suggest focusing on D&T's unique contribution to a broad education, rather than generic skills development.

I discuss the potential challenges and opportunities this review presents, considering teacher workload, budget constraints, and the need for evolution rather than revolution in our subject. I offer practical advice for teachers wanting to make their voices heard, from engaging with school leaders to participating in initiatives like the Redesigning D&T project.

Throughout, I emphasise the importance of evidence-based arguments and the need to balance the essence of D&T with practical considerations. Whether you're a primary or secondary teacher, or simply passionate about D&T's future, this episode provides food for thought on how we can collectively shape our subject.

So, how will you contribute to this crucial conversation about D&T's place in the curriculum? Let's ensure our subject's voice is heard loud and clear in this review!

Links

1. Design Council Policy Document: A collaborative report outlining recommendations for design education, launched in June 2024.
2. Curriculum Review Terms of Reference: The government's outline for the review, focusing on core subjects and a broader curriculum.
3. Redesigning D&T Project: An initiative led by Ciaran Ellis, Amanda Mason, and Andy Halliwell to gather teachers' views on contentious questions in D&T.
4. Ofsted Curriculum Research Review for D&T: An upcoming publication expected to provide evidence on what makes D&T unique.
5. Archer Exchange Network: A soon-to-be-launched platform where experts from Nottingham Trent University will share insights on D&T policies and classroom practice.

Acknowledgement
Some of the supplementary content for this podcast episode was crafted with the assistance of Claude, an AI language model developed by Anthropic. While the core content is based on the actual content and my editorial direction, Claude helped in refining and structuring information to best serve listeners. 

Chapters

• 0:06 Introduction to the Curriculum Review
• 5:52 D&T's Place in a Broad Curriculum
• 9:27 Balancing Knowledge, Skills, and Practicality
• 11:40 Balancing Trade-Offs in Design Education
• 14:11 Teacher Involvement and Advocacy Strategies
• 17:09 Call to Action: Shaping D&T's Future

Transcript

Alison Hardy: 0:06

You're listening to the Talking D&T podcast. I'm Dr Alison Hardy, a writer, researcher and advocate of design and technology education. In each episode I share views, news and opinions about D&T. Hi and welcome to the Talking D&T podcast. This is still part of the Shaping D&T series, which hopefully you've been listening to.

Alison Hardy: 0:33

I've had the opportunity to interview and talk with lots of people about their views about design and technology, how it could be shaped and how they're involved in shaping the subject and supporting teachers. But this week it's just me. I thought I'd butt in and do an unexpected it wasn't part of my plan episode in light of the curriculum review that's been announced by the government for England for the education system in England. It's not for the whole of the UK, it's just for England. If you are listening from an international audience or from one of the other countries within the UK, please hang around. I think you might find it interesting, because what I'm going to reflect on is how teachers can get involved and why they should get involved in thinking about influencing government policy. It's not something I think that we should sit around and wait for it to be done to us, but we should be working with others to think about changing the curriculum and about getting our views across. So, as I said, I've had all these different people on the podcast talking about their views, talking about their ideas about design and technology, and that's been in response to a group that I've been part of that seems to have sort of paused at the moment around design education. It came in off the back of Pearson's raising some justified views about the datedness of parts of the design and technology national curriculum, particularly around sustainability. But that also caused a backlash from some people who felt that it was moving away from things being practical and hands-on to be more of a generic subject that could be delivered by anybody. So in response to all of that, the Design Council and well done for Design Council over time brought a group of people together and ended up producing a policy document report which was launched at the end of June. Now I'm going to have a conversation with Matilda Agase from the Design Council on another episode to go over that in more detail, but I'm just going to set in the context of this Shaping D&T series.

Alison Hardy: 2:36

So around this table were lots of people who had an interest, an invested interest sometimes, or just an interest or a role to play in design education and I'm deliberately using that wider language about design education, because there were people there from design and technology and also from art and design and from higher education and from different organizations that support design education in its kind of its broadest sense, and me, being me, was like oh yeah, this is great and I genuinely did think it was great. But what about all the teachers? Because I do this podcast predominantly for teachers. I know other people listening who aren't involved in teaching any longer or haven't taught at all but have an interest in D&T. But primarily I set this podcast up to talk to and to speak to and be heard by design and technology teachers, not because I have all the right answers I'm kind of pausing there because I know some people in my family would say that I behave like I do um but more so kind of be able to get voices out there that people can hear who don't necessarily get to hear, um from different sources about what people are discussing about the subject that they teach and that has a bearing on what they teach and how they teach, and to hear about other opportunities. So I thought, right, let's get some of these people on the podcast and in the whole, on the whole, really, people have been really open to coming on the podcast and it's been fantastic. It's been a real privilege to have those different views, um, and so I think it's been really timely.

Alison Hardy: 4:08

The design council report coming out and I'll I'll put a link in the show notes. I have held back on doing show notes um more recently um, that was for another time, another conversation, and I'll put that in my newsletter about why um, but I'll put a link to the design council one in the show notes. That um gives you an idea about the, the policy um advice recommendations that we were giving as a collective. It's really hard to do these sorts of things when there's a collective. But anyway, I said I think matilda and co really did a great job of bringing that together.

Alison Hardy: 4:42

So where does that leave us now when we've got a curriculum review called by the, by the new government, and what does that mean for design and technology? What might that mean? I don't know, I don't have a crystal ball but I can make some guesstimates or some thoughts. But I think also, importantly, I think it's timely for the audience for this podcast and for others to kind of think right, okay, where am I getting my news from? How am I critiquing what I'm hearing and getting involved in what I'm hearing? And that's where I think the podcast comes in and other spaces where other people talk and debate about the subject and what's happening. So the curriculum review has been called and obviously it's not about design and technology on its own. In fact, design and technology isn't mentioned in the terms of reference and I've already written to the Department for Education and raised this. So it says and again I'll put a link in the show notes specifically, the review is from the document the terms of reference will seek to deliver an excellent foundation in core subjects of reading, writing and maths.

Alison Hardy: 5:52

A broader curriculum so that children and young people do not miss out on subjects such as music, art, sport and drama, as well as vocational subjects, and then three others which are about children, young people, leaving compulsory education ready for life and for work, a curriculum that reflects issues and diversities of our society and about the assessment system. So it's that second one that is kind of where people might say design and technology is but where it's not mentioned. Are we saying is this government saying already that design and technology is an vocational subjects, um box. That's a bit of a concern, but we can take heart from this language about a broader curriculum and when they say such as okay, I think we've got to think about that is they're not ruling out or ruling in that kind of language of such as, kind of gives us a broad spectrum, and so there's a possibility there that design and technology is being considered as part of a broad curriculum.

Alison Hardy: 6:57

So I think that's one thing to think about, raising and making a note of, and if you're talking to people exploring why design and technology is an essential component of a broad curriculum, so not as a vocational subject, not as an academic subject, but as why it's important for a broad curriculum for all children. I think that's particularly where primary school teachers come in, because I think primary teachers but primary colleagues who are listening to this I think you've got a real handle on that groundedness of the importance of a broad curriculum, rather than this kind of over emphasis sometimes on reading, writing and maths. Again, that's not to deny their importance, but just to say having a handle on that. So I think that's the first thing. I think if you're a teacher and you're listening and you want to talk to people about this. I'd be focusing on why design and technology is part of a broader curriculum. Now another tip there I wouldn't necessarily be going on and saying, well, it's part of a broad curriculum because it develops their creative skills, their critical thinking skills, and the reason I would say that is twofold.

Alison Hardy: 8:08

Firstly, the last government was very much drew on research that didn't support the transferability of those sorts of skills problem solving skills, creativity and so on and I'm not convinced that this government will either, particularly if we look earlier in the terms of reference, where it says the review will build on the hard work of teachers and staff across the system who have brought their subjects alive with knowledge rich syllabuses to deliver a curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive and innovative. So I don't think they're going to throw the baby out of the bathwater. I don't think this is about having a major overhaul of the curriculum of different subjects. I think it's about looking to ensure that the curriculum is up to date and I don't think that the argument therefore thinking about they're going to keep this focus on knowledge rich, and I can't see them doing a major shift in terms of what the research says about what should be taught would encourage the idea that arguing that design and technology is part of a broad curriculum because it teaches creative skills, problem solving skills and other sort of generic transferable skills. I think what you'd need to be arguing is what makes design and technology unique. What is it that no other subject offers that makes it stand out?

Alison Hardy: 9:27

Now that currently in England is quite difficult to argue when we don't have the evidence base published from Ofsted for the Curriculum Research Review. Some of you may be aware that it has been produced but it's currently sort of sat going through their internal system. So it's nothing against the subject, it's an internal system of public facing. Documents need to go through and be signed off by different people within government organisations and Ofsted being one of those. So we need to kind of have that review published. That kind of gives that focus of what makes design and technology unique, what makes it part of a broad curriculum.

Alison Hardy: 10:08

So I think those are a few things to be thinking about and I think if you look through this document again, I think it hints that this is not about a major, major review of the curriculum. It says the review will seek will take place in the context of an education system facing considerable challenges and staffs or shortages and I think I think therefore, some teacher training may be looked at. But I also think it's about if we do a major overhaul, then actually you know teachers who are already managing, at times, an unsustainable workload. Having a new curriculum, a brand new curriculum, isn't supporting the maintenance and the growth of the teacher workforce. So I think again, that's another sign to me that things aren't going to have a major overhaul in terms of the content because also there isn't the money for training. You know, when you have to listen the last couple of weeks to what the new chancellor is saying about the, the black hole in the budget, that if we have a brand new curriculum for school subjects that needs Cd, otherwise teachers do have even more of an unsustainable workload. So if we're wanting to retain, if the government wanting to retain teachers and recruit more teachers, increasing workload and not being able to offer professional development because there isn't the budget for it, isn't sustainable and isn't practicable. So that that's my reading of it.

Alison Hardy: 11:40

Other people might read this um differently. It goes on to say the review will recognize and seek to account for these issues in terms of challenges and staff shortages and the inevitable trade-offs that will be faced in delivering high and rising standards in a broad and balanced curriculum, um I I suppose one alarm bell that might come out there is if we need um practical skills and teachers trained and protected with health and safety training, then we need to make sure um that that isn't lost, as that's a key element of design and technology this realization of ideas and sometimes not every time into a three-dimensional item which does involve children handling and using, and you know the different materials we're making with them. So I think there's going to be a very careful balance here of arguing for maintaining elements of the subject because, in terms of they are part of the essence of the subject, but equally recognising some of the trade-offs that might have to happen if we're wanting to increase recruitment, um, I don't think we need to lose the essence of um the development of things and children have an opportunity to through two dimensional and three-dimensional realization. I think that is still an important part. But I think again, when you're arguing around the subject, we need to be really careful to think about what those trade-offs might be. If we overemphasise one and it goes on to say unfocused reform risks exacerbating the pressure on education staff, which is damaging to the education system and outcomes for pupils. So they've got to be focused reform. So I think it's very positive on the whole, but I think we need to be mindful of the balancing act around government budgets, government finance, school budgets, teacher workload and what is needed to refresh the subject, to maintain the subject in in in the way that actually demonstrates and reflects what design and technology does, which it does evolve, and I don't think we're after a revolution. I think we're after an evolution and I've I've written about that recently in a chapter for a book which is coming out, hopefully later this year, about how do we evolve the subject rather than revolutionize. The subject, which is much more what I'm for, is about evolution rather than than revolution.

Alison Hardy: 14:11

So, in terms of a call to action about if you're a teacher and you're, you're listening and you're thinking about how can I get involved, what can I do, I think the the one level to lobby is your, your school senior leaders, um, because they may well have different avenues, they may well be involved in the review in different ways. So having a coherent argument about the place of design and technology in a broader curriculum, again with all those balances and checks that I've talked about, I think looking out for there will be a public consultation there always is on these things um, ensuring that you make a response to that and thinking about what evidence you have. Um, I can't see the labour government moving away from the conservative government's call for evidence for things. So if you've got evidence and again, if you've got case studies, I'd be sharing those with your school senior leaders. I'd maybe be lobbying your local MP about this, giving them advance notice, maybe inviting them along to come and have a look at the excellent practice in your primary and secondary schools. I'd be thinking about how you are talking about the subjects to people around you and I would be mindful, as I said, of the parameters, the terms of reference for the review. In other ways you can get involved. If you were at the big D&T meet in Norwich and a big shout out to Kate Finlay for organising that that was a fantastic event. She did a brilliant job.

Alison Hardy: 15:49

Kieran Ellis spoke on behalf of the Redesigning D&T group getting viewpoints about the 18 contentious questions. That's one way that Kieran, amanda and Andy are collecting and getting together different views of teachers. That is for teachers and teachers only to get involved in that. That's quite deliberate. Something I really believe in is teachers, as a key stakeholder in curriculum, being involved in the review and that that view being listened to. So get involved in that redesigning dnt project. I'll put a link in the show notes to that and then if you want to hear more about what I'm going to be doing, then keep listening to the podcast, sign up to my newsletter and also sign up to the archer exchange network, which will be launched later this year, probably round about in September, where myself, sarah Davis, suzanne Gommersall and Max Pownall all from Nottingham Trent University will be sharing our views about different policies, viewpoints and thoughts about the subject in their classroom practice and having experts to hand to give feedback and to critique. So that's what I'd be recommending you do. That's my call to action. There'll be more coming out from me.

Alison Hardy: 17:09

Listen to the other Shaping D&T podcast episodes and listen to the other shaping D&T podcast episodes. Listen to what people say. Let them challenge you, let them encourage you to think differently about the subject or to question what you do. That may well help you consolidate what you think, but it also may well challenge what you think, to make you think, maybe sort of slightly differently. I don't know, I don't know, it't know it might do, it might not, but that's part of the logic of these podcasts and this series is to think about um, to help you challenge what you think about the subject and help you sort of really think about what, what you're doing, why you're doing it, um, and then how you share that message with a wider audience. That kind of benefits the subject.

Alison Hardy: 17:58

So, anyway, that's enough for now. I think that's plenty for you to be thinking about, plenty for you to be getting on with and hopefully you find that interesting and do let me know what you do. And if there's any way you think I can support you and help you debate and think about your ideas about the subject and what needs to happen in the curriculum review for design and technology, then do please get in touch, drop me an email and just yeah, get in contact via the ways on the show notes to let me know what you're doing and how I can support you. I'm Dr Alison Hardy and you've been listening to the Talking D&T podcast. If you enjoyed the podcast, then do subscribe on whatever platform you use, and do consider leaving a review, as it does help others find the podcast.

Alison Hardy: 18:41

I do the podcast because I want to support the D&T community in developing their practice, so please do share the podcast with your D&T community. If you want to respond to something I've talked about or have an idea for a future episode, then either leave me a voice memo via speakpipe or drop me an email. You can find details about me, the podcast and how to connect with me on my website, drallisonhardycom. Also, if you want to support the podcast financially, you can become a patron. Links to speakpipe patron and my website are in the show notes. Thanks for listening.