KS2 Design and Technology Report Comments (Years 3-6)

Design and technology covers designing products for a user and purpose, making with tools and materials, evaluating products and ideas, technical knowledge of structures, mechanisms and (in KS2) electrical systems, and cooking and nutrition.

Below are 9 sample sentences for KS2 (Years 3-6): one strength and one next step for each of the 4 comment levels (Extending / Confident / Developing / Beginning), plus a tip for families. They are a small selection from the 119 design and technology sentences in the full pack. Copy one, then add a detail only you know about the student.

Jump to: Extending · Confident · Developing · Beginning · Writing tips

Student name Pronouns

Fills in the name and pronouns on this page. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Extending E

Strengths

When learning about seasonal food, [Name] explains where and when key ingredients are grown and uses this knowledge to plan a dish.Lower KS2

Next step

An extension would be to compare different ways of strengthening and stiffening a frame, such as card triangles at the corners or diagonal struts.Lower KS2

Confident C

Strengths

When cooking savoury dishes, [Name] confidently uses techniques such as chopping, grating and baking, and can explain why the ingredients make a balanced meal.Upper KS2

Next step

To build on this, [Name] could research a key designer or invention, such as the electric light bulb, and explain how it has shaped everyday life.Upper KS2

Developing D

Strengths

When using tools such as saws and hand drills, [Name] follows the safety steps with reminders and is making progress with cutting to a line.

Next step

With practice, [Name] could use a set of step-by-step pictures to build and check a simple circuit for a product.

Beginning B

Strengths

Using pictures and food samples, [Name] is beginning to learn where some fruits and vegetables are grown.Lower KS2

Next step

A next step is to practise measuring and marking one length with a ruler before cutting, with an adult checking the mark.Lower KS2

Support at home

Building a tower or bridge from paper, straws or recycled materials together and seeing how much it can hold is a fun way to explore structures.

How to write design and technology comments for KS2 (Years 3-6)

Cite the design criteria and how the child evaluated against them: did the product do its job, and what would they change? Testing and improving a design is the most transferable D&T skill.
Name the technical knowledge: strengthening a structure, levers and linkages, or a simple circuit with a switch in lower KS2; gears, pulleys, cams, motors or programming a product in upper KS2.
Describe making skills precisely, such as measuring and marking accurately, cutting with the right tool used safely, or finishing neatly. A next step like measuring twice before cutting is easy to act on.

Watch out: Avoid judging only how the finished product looks. A wobbly model may show strong design thinking, so describe the planning, testing and improvements the child made as well as the result.

The scale describes how independently the child shows the learning. Extending suits independently, applies it in new contexts and explains reasoning; Confident suits usually and with occasional support; Developing suits sometimes, or with a model or word mat; Beginning names what the child does with adult support. Show the point through one piece of learning rather than writing the scale word itself.

What Design and Technology covers

In these comments, design and technology covers these behaviours:

designs purposeful, functional, appealing products using design criteria
selects and uses tools, equipment and materials to make products
evaluates existing products and own ideas, and improves them
applies technical knowledge of structures and mechanisms (and electrical systems in KS2), and prepares food with an understanding of a healthy diet

More UK primary subjects comments

How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.