ABSTRACT
Teaching, like design and technology, requires forward thinking and planning. This chapter will consider long-term, medium-term and short-term planning. All teachers have to plan for the day to day work of their classes. This planning should take into account the needs of individuals and the needs of the class as a whole. Most primary teachers work with the same group of children over a one -year period. Therefore, planning must involve decisions about how to ensure continuity of experience for those children throughout their time with a particular teacher. This involves issues related to continuity of approach and content, providing breadth and balance within the curriculum, making links between learning experiences for children and avoiding unnecessary overlap. The National Curriculum demands that specified PoSs are covered during each key stage. This requires long-term planning which inevitably leads to whole-school decisions related to the school's policy and scheme of work. Long- and medium-term planning have been made considerably easier in the last couple of years as a result of the publication of a national SoW and related units by the QCA/DfEE (1998). This can be adopted by schools in its entirety or adapted to a school's use – perhaps to supplement an existing scheme of work. It should not, however, be adopted uncritically. Each school will need to decide whether particular units are appropriate in the light of children's experience, resources and teacher expertise.
