Why Train to Be a Design and Technology Teacher?

As a Design and Technology teacher, you will be teaching students to become more resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable, helping them develop a critical understanding of the impact of design and technology on daily life and the wider world. By doing so, you’ll be teaching a subject that complements their wider learning and brings it to life in practical terms – from maths and science to computing and art. As with all teaching roles, you will experience the reward of seeing students learn and progress at an important stage in their lives, knowing that your skills and experience have supported them along the way. You also get to use lots of fantastic technology and equipment!

What is Life Like as a Design and Technology Teacher?

As with all teaching roles, no two days will be the same. You’ll be teaching students at different stages of their education, with different abilities and interests, so you will need to prepare engaging lessons that really spark their creativity. You will encourage students to come up with brilliant ideas and then guide them as they turn them into a reality. Continuous professional development is a key part of a teacher’s life, but even more so in your field, as you will have to keep up with changing technology and equipment. You could be teaching woodwork, computer-aided design and 3D printing, textiles, interior design, product design – to name but a few.

What Skills Do You Need to Be a Design and Technology Teacher?

Your passion for your subject should shine through, but you will also need the ability to communicate clearly and effectively – to students, parents and colleagues. Patience is essential, empathy is useful, and a sense of humour definitely helps! The willingness to take on new learning and training is beneficial, as are excellent organisational skills.

What Do We Cover in Design and Technology Teacher Training?

You will be trained to teach design and technology at key stages 3, 4 and 5.

This includes training in university, via STSA’s professional learning courses, and as part of your school placements, as detailed below:

At University

Our academic partner is Sheffield Hallam University, whose course is rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted. At university, you will have the opportunity to hone your design and technology skills via seminars, workshops, lectures, group work, directed tasks, written assessments and practical work. Your training will focus on how you can encourage pupils to be resourceful, innovative and enterprising as they solve real and relevant problems. You are assessed through supportive, collaborative means, helping you to grow and improve.

In STSA Professional Learning Courses

We run a number of STSA professional learning sessions throughout the year. These days are a great opportunity for our trainees to come together, catch up and share their experiences. Our trainees tell us this is a highly valued part of our course.

Examples of topics covered include:

• The Professional Teacher
• Safeguarding
• Lesson/scheme design
• Assessment: marking and feedback
• Data collection and analysis
• Barriers to learning
• Organisation of self
• Knowledge of consecutive key stages
• Role of SENCO
• Behaviour management
• Building resilience
• Child development
• SEND and inclusion
• EAL and new arrivals
• Collaborative team teaching
• Communication with parents
• Planning for transition
• Careers

The STSA team are on hand throughout the course to help you with any issues or questions you may have.

During your School Placements

Our course includes high-quality placements in two of our partner schools, providing experience in contrasting settings – which is part of the Department for Education (DfE) regulations for Initial Teacher Training (ITT). Your main placement is approximately 24 weeks over the academic year, whilst your complementary placement is approximately 6 weeks. You also have a 2-day experience in a primary setting.

You will have your own mentor in each school, who will meet with you regularly and provide support and advice. They will also assess your teaching in school.

You can find out more about what to expect on our course here.

Career Development

You will always be developing as a teacher and could progress to a head of subject role, or even head of a department or faculty. Some teachers decide to specialise in pastoral work, taking on a head of key stage/year group role. From middle management, you could then progress into senior leadership as an assistant, deputy or head teacher. With multi-academy trusts growing in number, there are also new opportunities working across a number of schools, taking on responsibility for your particular subject.