Key Stage 2 design and technology · Make

KS2 using tools accurately in design and technology

In Key Stage 2, children use a wider range of tools than in Years 1 and 2, and they are expected to use them accurately as well as safely. That means measuring and marking out carefully, choosing the right tool for the material, and using it with control to cut, shape, join and finish. Accuracy matters because parts that are the wrong size don’t fit together.

Using tools accurately, explained

The programme of study says that when designing and making, pupils should be taught to select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks, accurately. It gives cutting, shaping, joining and finishing as examples. These are examples, so which tools your child uses depends on the school, its equipment and the projects it chooses. Children build on the safe use of tools they met in Key Stage 1.

Each of the four jobs has its own tools. Cutting might use scissors, a junior hacksaw or, in some schools with close adult supervision, a craft knife on a cutting mat. Shaping could mean sanding or filing. Joining covers glue, tape, split pins, stitching and, in some schools, a low-temperature glue gun used with an adult. Finishing includes sanding, painting, decorating and neatening edges. Children are taught to match the tool to the material, because a tool that suits thin card may be useless on a wooden strip.

Accuracy begins before any cutting, with measuring and marking out. Children measure from the zero mark on a ruler, measure to the nearest millimetre, and mark the position with a sharp pencil. They check measurements twice, use a set square or a template to get a straight line, and mark the waste side, the part to be cut away, so they know which side of the line to cut. After cutting they check against the drawing to see whether the part is the right size.

Safety and accuracy go together. Children are taught to secure the work with a clamp or a bench hook so that it doesn’t slip, to keep their hands out of the line of the blade, to carry tools safely and to work calmly. Forcing a tool or rushing tends to make a cut wander and raises the risk of injury. Teachers often have pupils practise on scrap material first, because good control is a skill that improves with repeats.

Accurate work shows in the end product. Straight edges, well-fitting joints and a smooth finish make a product work better and look better, and children are asked to evaluate their own work against what they planned. Later, in Key Stage 3, pupils use more specialist tools and machines, and the habits formed here carry on.

Words your child will hear

Marking out: Measuring and drawing lines or marks on a material to show where to cut or join.
Accurate: Correct and close to the planned size or shape.
Template: A shape to draw around so that you get the same outline each time.
Waste: The part of the material that will be cut away and thrown out.
Bench hook: A flat board with a ridge that holds a piece of wood still while it is sawn.
Clamp: A tool that holds a piece of work firmly in place so that both hands are free to work safely.
Finishing: The last steps that neaten and improve a product, such as sanding, painting or decorating.

What the National Curriculum says

The programme of study for Key Stage 2 says:

When designing and making, pupils should be taught to select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing], accurately
Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils should be taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making.

Objectives from the National Curriculum in England, © Crown copyright, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Try it: sawing a strip of wood to length

A child needs a 15 cm length of square wooden strip for the frame of a model. Show how to measure, mark, cut and finish it accurately. An adult supervises throughout and checks that the child is ready to use the saw.

Choose the tools. A ruler, a sharp pencil, a set square, a bench hook, a junior hacksaw and some sandpaper. Hair is tied back and the work is done at a steady table.
Measure. Line up the end of the strip exactly with the zero mark on the ruler. Many rulers have a little gap before the zero, so don’t start from the edge. Make a small pencil mark at 15 cm, then check it again.
Mark out. Hold the set square against the edge of the strip and draw a straight line through the mark across all four sides if possible. Put a cross on the waste side, the part that will be cut off.
Cut. Hold the strip firmly against the bench hook, with the other hand well back from the blade. Saw on the waste side of the line, so the line stays on the piece you are keeping. Start with a few short, gentle strokes to make a small groove, then use long, steady strokes, letting the saw do the work.
Finish and check. Wrap sandpaper around a flat block and rub the cut end gently until it is smooth and square. Then measure the piece again against the ruler.

A strip of wood about 15 cm long, to within a millimetre or two, with a smooth, square end. The key points are zero on the ruler, a marked waste side, a cut next to the line rather than through it, and a steady, unforced sawing action.

Common mistakes and how to help

Cutting right through the pencil line

The line feels like the place where the cut should go, but a saw blade removes a thin strip of material itself.

What helps: Show that the cut should be on the waste side of the line, so the part you want is still the right length. Practise on scrap first and measure the result.

Measuring from the end of the ruler instead of the zero mark

Many rulers have a small margin before the zero, and children assume the edge is the start.

What helps: Look at the ruler together and find zero. Practise by measuring a few things and check each reading by measuring from 1 cm and subtracting 1.

Pressing harder or going faster to get a better cut

More force seems to mean more power, and children want to finish quickly.

What helps: Explain that force makes tools jump, jam or wander. Slow, light, steady strokes with the work held firmly give straighter cuts and fewer accidents.

Using the same tool for every job

A favourite or familiar tool, such as scissors, seems to do everything.

What helps: Ask, “What is the material and what job do we need to do?” Thin card, thick card, wood and fabric each need different tools, and picking the right one makes the job easier and safer.

How to help at home

Measure in millimetres. Ask your child to measure the length of everyday objects to the nearest millimetre, writing down each result. Check by measuring a second time.
Cut paper strips exactly. Draw lines on paper at set lengths with a ruler and pencil, then cut along them with safety scissors. Measure the results and see how close they are to the plan.
Cut soft food safely. Let your child cut a banana or a cooked and cooled potato with a table knife, while you stay beside them. Cutting into equal slices needs the same control.
Sew with a blunt needle. A large plastic or blunt needle and thick thread on felt or coarse fabric is a good way to practise careful joining. Stay nearby while they sew.
Talk about the right tool. When you or another adult is using a tool for a household job, ask your child why that tool was chosen. It helps them think about the match between tool and material.

Builds on

Key Stage 1: Using tools safely
Key Stage 1: Choosing materials

Leads on to

Key Stage 3: Workshop tools and machines
Key Stage 3: Computer-aided manufacture
Key Stage 3: Choosing materials by properties