By Mrs Martin (Head of Year 5)
Last week Year 5 were launched into a design challenge with very little guidance: and that was entirely intentional!
Tasked with designing a transportation device to serve a real community need, the girls were given no instructions, no templates and limited tools and materials. For many, this felt unfamiliar and, at times, uncomfortable. This initial uncertainty was powerful. Without a prescribed outcome, the girls had to rely on creativity and problem-solving. They experimented, tested ideas, and experienced first-hand how designs can fail when materials are not chosen carefully or joined securely. There was frustration, but also excitement, curiosity and determination.
Crucially, this struggle created a genuine need for learning. As the lesson unfolded, the girls began to reflect thoughtfully on what hadn’t worked and why. They identified weaknesses in their designs and started to articulate the tools and techniques they wished they had access to. This naturally led into deeper discussions about how designers work in the real world, choosing materials with purpose, refining finishes for strength and durability, and selecting construction techniques that suit both the environment and the task.
The students are now thinking much more deliberately about design with intent. They are considering how terrain, such as water, rough ground or steep inclines, affect the way a vehicle must be built. They are exploring how forces like friction, air resistance, water resistance and gravity influence movement and stability, and how these forces must be accounted for when designing for a specific community need.
What has been most striking is the shift in mindset. Rather than asking “What should I make?”, the girls are now asking: Who is this for? Where will it be used? What problem does it solve? How must the design change because of the environment and forces acting upon it? This approach has empowered the girls to see themselves not just as makers, but as designers, thinking critically, working purposefully, and understanding that thoughtful design has real impact on communities and the people within them.
