1. The 7 Principles of
Curriculum Design
to improve skills development
In our setting we can improve the way
that we will support skill development
for our learners by ………

2. The 7 Principles of Curriculum Design
• Personalization and choice
• Relevance
• Coherence
• Challenge and enjoyment
• Breadth
• Depth
• Progression

3. Personalization & Choice
Some starters to consider how you could improve the
development of learners’ skills focusing on personalization and
choice:
• Dialogue focused around the skills learners use in their wider
lives
• Making reference to learners skills and interests during day to
day dialogue
• Using knowledge of how they learn in different ways
• Dialogue focused on assessing their understanding and
providing feedback on their next steps and progress
• Listening to learners questions and ideas
• Providing support tailored to their differing needs

4. Coherence
Some starters to consider how you could improve the
development of learners’ skills using coherence:
• Making clear links between the skills used within and across
curriculum areas and in interdisciplinary studies
• Highlighting the similarities and differences between different
skills and the use of a skill in different contexts
• Promoting a shared understanding of skills and involving
learners in understanding and reflecting on their own
development of skills

5. Relevance
Some starters to consider how you could improve the
development of learners’ skills in relation to
relevance:
• Selecting contexts for skills which relate to the
learners’ experience, needs and interests in and
beyond school
• Emphasising skills for learning, life and work, making
connections with the use of skills in learning, in the
home, in the local community, the world of work,
travel or interests in leisure, sport or the media.

6. Challenge & Enjoyment
• Challenging our learners to think hard and
develop their skills to the full
• Thinking about what is needed to take
learners to the next stage in developing and
applying skills

7. Breadth
• Using the full breadth of skills in the experiences and
outcomes
• Making better links with skills in literacy, numeracy and
heath and wellbeing
• Giving more emphasis to skills that are transferable
across curriculum areas
• Developing secure learning of subject-specific skills

8. Progression
• Being aware of prior learning in skills
• Moving learners through challenging activities
to new learning or consolidating skills by
practice
• Providing opportunities for application of skills
in new contexts
• Encouraging learners to reflect on their own
learning and how secure their learning is

9. Depth
• Increasing the depth of learning of skills by going
beyond acquiring knowledge to emphasise learners’
understanding
• Encouraging learners to show their understanding in
different ways so that we are more aware of their
understanding/ misunderstanding
• Emphasising the application of skills in different
contexts.