The ENTHUSE Partnership Project

The ENTHUSE Partnership Project is a Trust-wide initiative within Exceed Learning Partnership, designed to transform the teaching and learning of Design and Technology (D&T). Supported by funding from STEM Learning, this two-year project brings together our academies to collaborate with expert advisors and industry professionals.

The project marks a significant pedagogical shift from "aesthetic making" to a rigorous technical process: Research, Design, Make, and Evaluate. By focusing on the User, Purpose, and Functionality, we are empowering our students to think like engineers and solve real-world problems.

The aims of the project are:

To strengthen curriculum intent: Moving away from isolated "D&T Days" toward a progressive, stranded curriculum that builds technical knowledge year-on-year.
To develop teacher expertise: Equipping subject leaders and teachers with the confidence to lead high-quality practical units, including woodwork, electronics, and CAD (Computer-Aided Design).
To improve pupil outcomes: Raising attainment and engagement in STEM subjects by providing hands-on learning experiences that challenge and inspire.
To bridge digital integration: Linking D&T with Computing through the use of physical computing tools like Micro:bits and Crumble Kits.
To build industry links: Connecting our academies with STEM Ambassadors and employers to raise awareness of future career opportunities for our pupils.

Through this partnership, we have successfully transitioned D&T into a core technical discipline. Our teachers report a marked increase in confidence, and our pupils are developing the resilience to evaluate, tweak, and re-design their work—essential problem-solving skills for the modern world.

Following the success of our initial implementation, including the development of dedicated STEM Labs, we are continuing to cascade these high-level engineering skills across all academies to ensure every child has the chance to excel in STEM.