Primary regional support
Primary membership supports schools in delivering excellent and progressive design and technology across the primary phase through structured planning resources, practical support and ongoing professional development.
What primary schools receive
Primary planning resource
Projects on a Page to support progressive design and technology teaching across KS1 and KS2
- Mechanisms
- Structures
- Food
- Textiles
- Electrical systems
- Mechanical systems
- CAD and digital technologies
Support for teachers and subject leaders
Building teacher confidence and support in design and technology delivery
- Curriculum guidance and planning support
- Subject leadership support
- Practical classroom advice and delivery guidance
- Reduced workload through structured planning resources
- Ongoing updates and curriculum developments
- Access to support from the Design & Technology Association team
Free Primary CPD for D&T teachers
CPD, hosted in the Bristol & South West area
- Free local CPD opportunities
- Practical training focused on classroom delivery
- Support for non-specialists and subject leaders
- Guidance on progression and curriculum implementation
- Flexible E-Learning opportunities
- Reduced need for costly travel to subject-specific CPD
Free featured Primary CPD
Current CPD in the Bristol area is free for your teachers to attend. To secure free places, please register your interest. Please do not book through the website; use the 'register your interest' form instead.
If you have any questions, take a look at our FAQs where you’ll find helpful answers and guidance
This regional membership is funded through local industry partnerships, which must be secured on a region-by-region basis. Bristol is the first area where funding has been confirmed for a minimum three-year period.
We are starting carefully and deliberately, learning from each pilot so that future regions can benefit from what works best.
Every region has different:
- Local industries
- Education needs
- School contexts
- Funding opportunities
These partnerships take time to develop. The absence of funding in a region is not a reflection of need or importance. It simply means funding has not yet been secured there.
Our ambition is to reach all regions over time, and further areas are already planned for 2026.
We believe fairness comes from long-term benefit to the profession, not short-term equality of access.
Paying members remain essential to the Association and:
- Continue to receive full national benefits
- Enable innovation and pilots like this to exist
- Strengthen our case when approaching industry funders
This pilot does not reduce or replace the value of paid membership.
No. Paid membership remains vital to the Association’s sustainability.
Industry-funded regional memberships are designed to complement, and over time, replace, national membership. They allow us to reduce cost barriers where possible, while ensuring the Association remains independent, teacher-led, and sustainable.
To do this responsibly, funding must be:
- Secure
- Multi-year
- Regionally appropriate, addressing each areas individual needs
- Aligned with our educational values and the industry values in the area
Launching nationally without guaranteed long-term funding, in each area, would put the Association and teacher support at risk. A phased, regional approach ensures stability and quality.
All regional memberships are planned with sustainability in mind.
Before any funding period ends, we will:
- Review impact and teacher feedback
- Explore continuation or renewal of funding
- Communicate clearly and early with affected schools
No region will be left without notice or support.
No.
Regional members receive the same core Association benefits as national members. Any additional activity will be locally relevant and additive, not exclusive or inaccessible to others.
Decisions are based on:
- Availability of committed local industry partners and their commitment to funding for a three year period
- Regional education needs
- Capacity to deliver meaningful support
- Insights gathered from teachers and members
We actively seek input from teachers to help shape future regions.
You can help by:
- Sharing local challenges and priorities
- Connecting us with local employers or industry groups who you feel may be interesting in getting involved
- Expressing interest by emailing membership@designtechnology.org.uk or through this survey link
Teacher voice is a critical part of building successful regional partnerships.
Absolutely not.
National advocacy, curriculum support, CPD, and expert guidance remain central to our mission. Regional pilots strengthen this work by grounding it in local realities.
That feeling is completely understandable.
We ask teachers to see this as a step toward a better long-term outcome for everyone, rather than a finished solution. Transparency and trust matter to us, and we are committed to communicating openly as this work develops.
Our team is always available to listen.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact us via membership@designtechnology.org.uk Your feedback directly informs how this initiative evolves.