A concise outline gives pupils a stable point of reference when a task requires them to hold the sequence, criteria and subject information in mind at the same time. It is light support for demanding work, not a script for every lesson.

Identify the avoidable memory load

Consider what the pupil must remember in addition to the intended learning. This may include:

• the order of an investigation;

• several success criteria;

• essential values or terminology;

• the components of an extended response;

• the stages of a design or practical process.

Keep only the information the pupil needs to consult. A full page of prose can be harder to use than the original verbal explanation.

Choose the right reference

For a science investigation, list the main stages and leave space to record results. For extended writing, show the purpose, audience and paragraph structure. For multi-step mathematics, keep one annotated worked example visible. In a practical subject, display the sequence and any safety-critical checks.

For example, an outline for a geography extended answer might be five lines:

1. Name the place and the issue.

2. First point, with one fact from the case study.

3. Second point, with another fact.

4. One point on the other side.

5. Answer the question in one sentence.

Ask the pupil to identify the current stage before starting. During the task, prompt them to consult the outline rather than giving another full explanation.

Preserve the challenge

The outline should carry incidental information, not complete the core thinking. If pupils are learning to plan an argument, provide the success criteria but not the claims. If they are applying a mathematical method, provide a model of the process but use a different problem.

Use it selectively

This level of support is appropriate when the work is new, unusually complex or vulnerable to interruption. It should not appear automatically during familiar routines.

Watch whether the pupil starts independently, maintains their place and checks their work against the outline. If so, shorten the prompts or ask them to create the outline themselves. If the outline is ignored, teach how to use it before making it more detailed.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Including every instruction, explanation and criterion on one sheet.

• Using vague headings that do not tell the pupil what to do.

• Lowering the conceptual demand of the task.

• Pointing to the outline constantly instead of allowing independent consultation.

• Leaving the support unchanged after the pupil no longer needs it.

Well-designed scaffolds are temporary and responsive. A teacher in an EEF classroom video warns that providing a scaffold when it is not needed can increase rather than reduce cognitive demand.

Further reading

• Using scaffolds to support working memory (Education Endowment Foundation)

• Classroom practice: worked examples (Department for Education)