Long-term planning

Key stage 3

A key stage plan is a planned programme of work for history across a key stage, drawing parts of the programme of study together into coherent, manageable and engaging teaching units or enquiries. It shows how these enquiries are set out across the three years of the key stage in a sequence that covers the statutory requirements and promotes curriculum continuity and progression in pupils' learning, both within the key stage and across adjacent key stages.

The key stage plan should also take into account potential links to other subjects as well as the broader dimensions of the curriculum. These include key skills, literacy, numeracy, ICT, citizenship, PSHE, together with developing pupils' creativity and thinking skills. Departments should develop their own individual curriculum plans to reflect their context and characteristics, as well as their values, aims and priorities.

In this part of the website there are two approaches to key stage planning, which explore the flexibility of the programme of study for history: one using some of the QCA scheme of work history units as its building blocks Model 1, an approach to planning, and one based around an entirely different series of substantial historical enquiries Model 2, an approach to planning.

In addition, examples of key stage plans from different schools can be accessed via the ‘Case studies’ link in the right-hand menu.

A blank template to use for your own key stage planning can be accessed via 'Planning templates'.