The Design and Technology Association
The Design and Technology Association is a UK charity founded in 1985 that supports design and technology education in schools across England and Wales, operating an E-Learning Platform, D&TTV, Jobs Board, Resource Shop, and membership program for D&T teachers from primary through A-level.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersBanbury, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Design and Technology Association does
The Design and Technology Association (D&T Association) is an independent UK charity founded in 1985 (registered charity number 1062270) that serves as the national subject body for design and technology education in schools across England and Wales. It operates from a single office in Banbury (11 Manor Park) and reaches primary and secondary schools plus D&T teachers from primary through A-level, with a stated aim of supporting and championing the subject in the curriculum. Its product set is a multi-component education platform comprising an E-Learning Platform, D&TTV video content service, Jobs Board, Self-Review Framework, Resource Shop, Training and Events program, and a Membership Program. The technology stack is conventional content-and-community infrastructure rather than a proprietary AI or data platform, with the exception of a partnership with SketchUp for Schools that provides CAD tooling to member schools.
The Association's business model combines three revenue streams: (1) a School Membership program whose access is underwritten by corporate sponsors, primarily the James Dyson Foundation, with Samsung UK and the Royal Ballet & Opera as additional financial and strategic partners; (2) a Resource Shop selling low-cost digital and physical curriculum materials at unit prices (for example, £8 PDFs and £95 planners); and (3) paid Training and Events for teacher CPD. Pricing is deliberately granular and accessible, with the Association positioning itself as an inclusive national body rather than a premium vendor. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, anchored by the Annual Conference and the membership community.
In 2025 the Association launched a regional school-industry initiative in the Southwest of England covering up to 1,700 schools, with a publicly stated plan to replicate the model across England and Wales. It also published a "Reimagining D&T" vision paper following a nine-city consultation, formalising its role as the subject's representative voice in policy and curriculum debates. The organisation is non-profit; it has no equity funding rounds, no investors, and no disclosed financial accounts, with sustainability dependent on the combination of corporate sponsorship and earned income from the Resource Shop and events.
The Design and Technology Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Design and Technology Association
- Legal name
- The Design and Technology Association
- Website
- https://www.data.org.uk/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Design and Technology Association is a UK charity founded in 1985 that supports design and technology education in schools across England and Wales, operating an E-Learning Platform, D&TTV, Jobs Board, Resource Shop, and membership program for D&T teachers from primary through A-level.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Design and Technology Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Education Services and Professional Development
- NAICS
- Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Maker / DIY Electronics & Physical Computing Platforms (EDAFANAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Corporate Learning & Training Content Development (EDAGAKAC), Special Education & Accessibility-Optimized Media (UDL, AAC, Captioning) (EDAGALAH)
Keywords
Where The Design and Technology Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Banbury
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Design and Technology Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- School Membership: Schools receive fully funded Design & Technology Association membership through support from the James Dyson Foundation, providing access to resources, training, and industry connections.
- Resource Shop: Sale of educational resources including digital PDFs and physical planning materials. Examples include Designing 133 Online PDF at £8.00 and Projects on a Page full pack of 23 planners at £95.00.
- Training and Events: Professional development courses and events for teachers including initial training courses, CPD sessions, and specialized workshops offered at various price points.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Digital resource downloads at £8.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Physical resource packs from £95.00 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Design and Technology Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Design and Technology Association is an independent registered charity (No. 1062270) that supports design and technology (D&T) education in schools across England and Wales. It sells curriculum-aligned teaching resources, accredited teacher training, professional development events, and membership services, and operates an e-learning platform, a video library (D&TTV), a jobs board, and a self-review framework tool for schools.
Product overview
The Design and Technology Association operates a multi-platform ecosystem supporting design and technology education in UK schools. The core offering includes an E-Learning Platform for digital curriculum resources, D&TTV for video content, a Jobs Board for career placement, the Self-Review Framework for institutional assessment, and a Resource Shop offering physical and digital teaching materials including 'Designing 133 Online PDF', 'Primary Subject Leader File', and 'Projects on a Page Full Pack of 23 Planners'. The association also provides Training and Events programs with CPD opportunities and a Membership Program that delivers funded support, curriculum resources, and industry connections to schools backed by partners like the James Dyson Foundation, Samsung UK, and Royal Ballet & Opera.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Resource Shop Online shop providing curriculum-aligned D&T teaching resources, planners, and publications sold to UK schools and individual teachers.
- E-Learning Platform Online learning platform delivering accredited CPD and training courses in design and technology to teachers and subject leaders.
- D&TTV Video Library Subscription-access video library containing D&T teaching demonstrations, best-practice clips, and on-demand training content.
- Self-Review Framework Digital tool that enables D&T departments to self-assess and evidence the quality of their design and technology provision against national expectations.
- Training and Events Programme Programme of conferences, courses, and training events delivering accredited CPD in design and technology to teachers and subject leaders.
- D&T Jobs Board Online jobs board listing D&T teaching vacancies and education roles for use by schools, candidates, and recruiting employers.
- Association Membership Annual individual and institutional membership programme that grants members access to resources, e-learning, D&TTV, member benefits, and the D&T professional community.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reaching up to 1,700 schools in Southwest region alone
Companies that use The Design and Technology Association
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Design and Technology Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Design and Technology Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Royal Ballet & OperacorePartner in the regional initiative, supporting the connection between schools and creative industries. Involved in the Royal Ballet and Opera Design Challenge programme.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Design and Technology Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- STEM Learning: UK charity delivering STEM education support, teacher CPD, and resources to schools. Highly comparable mission and operating model to the D&T Association, with broader STEM scope.
- Design Council: UK organisation championing design and design education, including school-facing programmes. Directly comparable as a design-education advocate serving schools and government.
- EngineeringUK: UK not-for-profit focused on engineering inspiration, skills pipeline, and school engagement. Comparable as a charity tackling engineering/manufacturing skills gaps through schools and industry partners.
- Raspberry Pi Foundation: UK charity providing computing, digital making, and STEM resources for schools and teachers. Comparable as a tech-education charity with digital learning platforms and teacher training.
- Computing at School (CAS): UK community supporting computing teaching in schools, with CPD and teacher networks. Closely comparable to the D&T Association's teacher-led, community-driven model but focused on computing.
- Smallpeice Trust: UK charity promoting engineering education through school activities, competitions, and CPD. Comparable as a STEM education charity supporting schools and teacher development.
- EDT (Engineering Development Trust): UK charity running STEM-focused engagement programmes linking schools with industry partners. Comparable as a school-industry connector addressing skills gaps.
Broad incumbents
- Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET): Large professional engineering body with significant education, schools, and CPD programmes. Overlaps with the D&T Association's engineering education remit but operates at much broader scale.
- Royal Academy of Engineering: UK national academy running education programmes, teacher CPD, and school engagement. Comparable education mission but with broader engineering and policy scope.
- Royal Society of Chemistry (Education Division): Major UK science body with significant school education, CPD, and curriculum resource programmes. A broader incumbent covering science education with overlap in school and teacher markets.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Design and Technology Association social profiles
Digital presenceThe Design and Technology Association compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
The Design and Technology Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Design and Technology Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Design and Technology Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Design and Technology Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Design and Technology Association
What does The Design and Technology Association do?
The Design and Technology Association is an independent registered charity (No. 1062270) that supports design and technology (D&T) education in schools across England and Wales. It sells curriculum-aligned teaching resources, accredited teacher training, professional development events, and membership services, and operates an e-learning platform, a video library (D&TTV), a jobs board, and a self-review framework tool for schools.
Is The Design and Technology Association a public or private company?
The Design and Technology Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Design and Technology Association founded?
The Design and Technology Association was founded in 1985. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Design and Technology Association based?
The Design and Technology Association is headquartered in Banbury, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Design and Technology Association make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. School Membership is the primary driver. The others are resource Shop and training and Events.
Who are The Design and Technology Association's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are STEM Learning, Design Council, EngineeringUK, Raspberry Pi Foundation, Computing at School (CAS), Smallpeice Trust and EDT (Engineering Development Trust). Broad incumbents are Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), Royal Academy of Engineering and Royal Society of Chemistry (Education Division).
Does The Design and Technology Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Design and Technology Association.
What industry is The Design and Technology Association in?
The Design and Technology Association's product category is K-12 Education Services and Professional Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFANAC, Maker / DIY Electronics & Physical Computing Platforms, with a secondary code of EDAGAKAC, Corporate Learning & Training Content Development. Its NAICS code is 5413 and its SIC code is 8711.