Recommendations

Recommendations

We have reached a critical time in design education. [...]. D&T is a uniquely interdisciplinary subject encouraging practical problem solving, collaboration, empathy, and creativity, as well as both critical and analytical thinking. Most importantly, it inspires young people to be curious, to trust their own ideas, and equips them to explore solutions to the world’s biggest problems.

Sir Jonny Ive KBE HonFREng RDI

As policymakers work towards setting future education policy agendas, there is a tangible opportunity to reimagine the role of design in the curriculum and create a relevant, modern subject that develops students’ problem solving, creativity, systems thinking and making abilities by applying them to real-world problems. There is a chance to nurture and grow a workforce of innovative D&T teachers and create facilities fit for today and tomorrow’s responsible and planet-centric design practices.

A diverse set of solutions have been developed by the sector, and it’s clear that there is no single silver bullet.

Change is needed on two fronts:

– In the short term, to stem the flow of teachers and students leaving the subject and ensure D&T does not fall into the margins of the curriculum risking its future as a core curriculum subject.

– Over the medium term, to forge an ambitious, forward-looking future for design as the jewel in the crown of a reimagined British education system - a core competency that develops creative problem-solving, technical knowledge, material intelligence, critical thinking and making ability, focused on the needs of our future economy and society. This may mean D&T and the wider curriculum look quite different than they do today.