Peter Luff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Luff on 2014-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the status and importance of design and technology at Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and post-16; and if he will make a statement.

Elizabeth Truss

Design and Technology (D&T) is an important subject that can inspire young people to pursue careers in engineering and manufacturing. Ofsted’s 2011 report ‘Meeting technological challenges’ found:

“Most pupils in the primary and secondary schools visited enjoyed designing and making products and gained much satisfaction in acquiring technical skills and in seeing their ideas take shape.”

During the review of the national curriculum, the Government consulted industry representatives, such as Dyson and Royal Academy of Engineering, teachers, subject associations and D&T specialists to ensure the new D&T curriculum is relevant to the modern world. We have strengthened the technological aspects of the subject by including new and emerging technologies, placed greater emphasis on links with STEM subjects to provide a context for their practical application and we are also reforming D&T GCSE and A levels to include more rigorous content and build on the changes made to the curriculum. The new qualifications will be more ambitious, with greater stretch for the most able and prepare young people better for the demands of employment and further study.