Technology Key Stages 1, 2 and 3

This Oftsted publication takes a look at the state of technology in schools shortly after the implementation of the National curriculum. It provides commentary on teaching and learning; curriculum and organisation; assessment, recording and reporting; staffing and staff development; accommodation and resources.

The work of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) that led to the report bridges the creation of Ofsted in 1992 and covered the second year of implementation. The introduction of the National Curriculum as a consequence of the 1988 Education Act resulted in schools teaching technology as a required are of the curriculum. Charged with overseeing standards in education, Ofsted set about a systematic inspection of subjects to track their implementation.

The report on Design and Technology (D&T) is based on the inspection by HMI of 668 schools: 310 secondary, 330 primary, and 28 special, during the school year 1991-92. A total of 2007 lessons were inspected. Additional information was obtained from meetings with local education authority (LEA) inspectors and advisers, and through visits to school-based and LEA in-service education and training (INSET) sessions.

The report identified the following main findings:

• when judged against the broad range of requirements and the Levels of Attainment in the National Curriculum, much of the D&T work was undemanding and standards were low
• the great majority of teachers continued to work hard to implement National Curriculum technology
• many teachers were uncertain about what constitutes D&T; they were unfamiliar with the Order and found it difficult to interpret and implement
• in many schools planning for each Key Stage lacked coherence, with inadequate coverage of the Programmes of Study in both D&T and Information Technology (IT)
• the number of schools with satisfactory arrangements for assessment and record keeping remained small
• virtually all students in each Key Stage enjoyed their technology lessons
• there has been a small improvement in the specialist facilities and resources for technology; however the provision in many schools continues to fall short of what is required for National Curriculum work, especially in D&T.

Her Majesty’s Inspectors were crown-appointed officers, located within the Department of Education and Science, who reported to the Secretary of State on standards of education and related areas. Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992, the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) was created. HMI became part of Ofsted and would supervise the inspection of each state-funded school in the country, and would publish its reports instead of reporting to the Secretary of State.