Cognitive Science Principles and Curriculum Planning

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Ross Morrison McGill founded @TeacherToolkit in 2007, and today, he is one of the ‘most followed educators’on social media in the world. In 2015, he was nominated as one of the ‘500 Most Influential People in Britain’ by The Sunday Times as a result of…
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Are your schemes of work built for teaching or for learning?

Explore how cognitive science can reshape current schemes of work to support knowledge retention and curriculum consistency.

A scheme of work is a medium-term curriculum planning document that outlines what will be taught, when, and how. But not all schemes are created equal. Some resemble dense tick-box lists or giant PowerPoints—heavy on content, light on cognitive design. Others serve as maps, guiding the sequencing of knowledge, skill development and opportunities to retrieve what students have learned.

Today’s (effective) schemes of work are rooted in the science of learning. They don’t just present a list of topics; they clarify the big ideas, break content into teachable chunks, anticipate misconceptions, and include space for revision and retrieval.

The aim isn’t to predict every classroom moment, but to build a structured framework for memory and mastery.

How to design smarter schemes of work

When informed by cognitive science, schemes of work help teachers embed the principles of encoding, storing and retrieving knowledge. They’re not static—they evolve through teaching, reflection, and adaptation.

In training sessions, I often use a visual metaphor to show how experts teach novices: it’s not just what’s taught, but how it’s shown step by step.

1. When you are an expert, for example, making a cup of tea, you can work forwards to solve the problem (image 1). Here is a practical example: could you make me a cup of tea that is milky and sweet?
2. When you are a novice, you have to work backwards to solve the problem. What brilliant teachers do, is show the learning process in chunks (image 2). As a practical example, 1) here is what a milky cup of tea looks like 2) here are all the parts you need and 3) here is how to do it step-by-step working towards the final solution.
3. When learning something new, prior knowledge may be incomplete or contain misconceptions (image 3). Over time, through retrieval and rehearsal, schema are strengthened and refined, allowing for deeper learning.
4. Through regular rehearsal, our schema grows over time (domain specific knowledge) to a point of automaticity. At this stage, we can add even more depth and detail (image four).

Example from the classroom: Building knowledge with structures

Take a look at this image below. On the left-hand side, you have a 4 page document which is a classic design and technology scheme of work that is delivered to key stage two or three students. On the right hand side, is the knowledge skills and understanding to be assessed throughout the 12 week project (circa. 2001).

I share this old planning document to show that the hard thinking is often front-loaded—and does not need to be exhaustive. Not every detail needs to be documented, and that schemes of work are built over time, not in an afternoon meeting. Each academic year, tweaking the content to suit evolving technologies, student needs, and also from your classroom insights.

The aim is to teach students about the difference between frame and shell structures through a competitive, hands-on activity using newspaper, tape and tennis balls. The goal is to build the highest freestanding tower. Another version of this could be a bridge across a specific span, to hold a small weight.

In one lesson, students move from understanding to applying structural principles—triangulation, base design, problem solving and evaluation—all linked to memory processes: encode, store, retrieve. 

This lesson is a brilliant model for how schemes of work can be memorable, not just manageable. With built-in retrieval, feedback loops, and physical demonstration of abstract concepts, it supports knowledge retention while keeping students engaged and active in the learning process.

Why cognitive science matters in planning

Apply these three memory-informed steps when building schemes of work:

1. Prioritise core knowledge – Define what must be remembered, not just what must be covered. Highlight threshold concepts. Imagine these key knowledge components as the anchor/ bridge threads of a spiderweb; the frame which forms the outer boundary. Without these pillars (of knowledge), there is no solid foundation to build upon.
2. Plan for forgetting – Integrate retrieval opportunities across lessons. Build in spaced practice from previous units. Think of this like a misconception in class where students forget information or develop the wrong knowledge. These key parts being reshaped are very similar to the radius spokes on a spiderweb.
3. Leave space to adapt – Schemes should offer direction, not scripts. Allow space for reteaching, questioning and challenge.

Anchor everything around: encode, store, retrieve.

• Encode = What must be taught and committed to memory?
• Store  = How will the knowledge stick? What resources and methods will you use?
• Retrieve = When and how will students recall this information? Today, next lesson, next week, next month?

The structure matters.

Cognitive science shows us that learning is not the same as performance. Students can appear to understand in the moment but forget weeks later. If schemes of work only focus on coverage, students may never commit knowledge to long-term memory.

Retrieval practice, spaced learning and interleaving are three powerful principles from cognitive psychology that can transform curriculum planning. When built into a scheme of work, they help reduce forgetting, combat overload, and deepen understanding.

CPD questions for teachers:

1. Does your scheme of work prioritise knowledge over content coverage?
2. Are retrieval opportunities clearly mapped across the term or year?
3. Is cognitive overload considered in how topics are sequenced?
4. Do you know when to revisit and reinforce core concepts?
5. How are SEND and EAL needs built into your curriculum structure?
6. Is your scheme flexible enough for reteaching?
7. What misconceptions are likely to occur, and are they flagged?
8. Does each unit identify prior knowledge and future links?
9. How often is the scheme reviewed and updated?
10. Could another teacher pick it up and teach with clarity?

Like a spider’s web, schemes of work need anchor points (core knowledge), structured strands (schema), and space for repair (misconceptions). Over time, they grow stronger and more detailed.

1. Discover more in my research and curriculum resources.
2. Image: Despositphotos

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