his section contains advice on how to construct effective schemes of work in History at Key Stages 1-5. The examples chosen will demonstrate how to deliver historical knowledge and understanding using the content of the Programmes of Study for Key Stages 1-3, as well as GCSE or A-level syllabuses. They will also show how to plan for differentiated learning and criterion-led assessment.

The first thing to understand about a scheme of work is that it is meant for medium-term planning. Consequently, when considering what to include, it is useful to think in terms of blocks or units of work rather than individual lesson plans.

The overall purpose of a scheme of work is to anticipate how pupils' knowledge and understanding is to be developed through the processes of teaching learning and assessment. This can be broken down into a number of more specific statements.

An effective scheme of work will:

• locate individual units of work within a programme of study
• arrange and sequence topics to provide coherence and continuity in pupils' learning
• pose historical questions that will chart lines of enquiry through each syllabus unit
• link these 'working questions' to specific learning objectives (key elements)
• describe teaching and learning activities which
  (i) are appropriate to the age and ability of the pupils
  (ii) bring together developments in pupils' knowledge and understanding
  (iii) define gains in pupils' knowledge and understanding
  (iv) identify assessment opportunities and marking criteria
  (v) are linked to appropriate learning resources

Here are two examples of schemes of work for history at KS2. The first was designed for a school with mixed age classes which wanted to deliver the programme of study on a whole school basis over a four-year cycle. The second was designed for a school with single age classes. In each case, assessment criteria are indicated by italics.

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Curriculum Map and Scheme of Work for History at Key Stage 2(Mixed Age Classes)

Curriculum Map and Scheme of Work for History at Key Stage 2 (Single Age Classes)