What is D&T?

The Value of D&T in Schools

Useful Videos for Promoting D&T

Videos and other information on this page may be useful when promoting D&T at open evenings and other events. They may also be useful to use with students or as part of school displays.

What is D&T and Why Do We Need It?

Video narrated by Dick Powell (founder of Seymourpowell) which is aimed at students, parents and employers showing the importance of D&T in a balanced curriculum. The video shows how D&T has developed from its craft-based roots into a modern, creative and rigorous subject, and why it's a valuable subject for young people to study, particularly with the current skills shortages in the creative, manufacturing and engineering industries.

What is D&T?

A shorter version of the above video

Design is Everything

Why design is important and the future of design

Design Made It Possible

The crucial role that design plays in our lives

The Beauty of Design

ston Martin Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman talking about creativity and how different discipline in design can collaborate and inspire each other whilst still retaining the individuality of each specialism.

The Future of Clothing

A high tech look at what fashion in the future will look like e.g. bioengineering

A World Without Textiles

Tongue in cheek video on what life would be like if we didn't have textiles in our everyday lives.

Innovating The World of Textiles

Different uses of textiles including beyond those used in fashion and furnishings.

Case Study - D&T at Triumph Motorcycles

Designers who work for Triumph Motorcycles describing their role and how D&T helped them in their career.

Case Study - D&T at JCB

Designer who work for JCB describing his role and how D&T helped him in his career.

Promoting D&T

D&T gives us the best of both worlds as it embraces both STEM and academic learning, as well as embracing learning within the arts. When promoting D&T it’s important to focus on both of these elements to demonstrate what an important subject D&T is and the broad impact it has.

D&T makes a massive contribution to STEM, with learning touching on science, technology, engineering or maths in some way in most lessons. The academic value of STEM subjects and their importance is undisputed and we should embrace these elements and how they add perceived value to D&T. This content is also explicitly built into the D&T curriculum and both maths and science are tested as part of the GCSE and A level exams.

Promoting D&T's STEM links to parents, students, SLT and other teachers (especially other STEM subjects), as well as the wider community helps others understand the breadth of learning in D&T and why it’s important.

D&T is also part of the arts and there's significant evidence about the importance of a balanced curriculum that includes access to learning through the arts. The Cultural Learning Alliance is a useful website for championing the rights of a child to arts and culture in education. In particular the findings of the ImagineNation: The Value of Cultural Learning report provides strong evidence statements that can be linked to D&T.

Visit the Design Council for useful reports and resources on the value of design in society, including the Design Economy report which is produced every 3 years with data on the state of design in the UK and it's value for the UK economy.

The D&T Association have a range of useful resources on the value of D&T, including some that are suitable for open evenings, options talks and displays generally.

This BBC article talks about concerns from Imperial College that the young people have less dexterity skills required to become surgeons because of the reduction in creative subjects on the curriculum. Specific references are made to D&T and to sewing skills in particular.

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