ABSTRACT
Like many technical terms, it is essentially a useful way of describing something which could easily be seen as common sense. Most teachers are aware that learning has to be sequential if concepts are to be understood and skills acquired successfully. Primary colleagues will be familiar with the ways in which pupils jump from topic to topic in foundation subjects: one week they could be studying the Romans; the next they have jumped to Victorian England. Teachers and leaders must know where the curriculum is heading and what they want pupils to have learnt by the end of the year but, to make sure that the learning flows smoothly, they must also think about the order in which things are taught so that skills and knowledge build up step by step. In secondary schools, students often find themselves reading a completely unconnected series of novels and plays which have been chosen simply to satisfy the demands of the National Curriculum.
