A recording frame can reduce the amount a pupil must remember while they are deciding what to write or draw. It should direct attention to the important information without completing the thinking for them.

Start with a partly completed frame

Choose the small amount of information the pupil needs in order to take part successfully. Add this to the frame before the lesson. Depending on the task, this might include:

• pictures or headings showing the order of events;

• the first part of a sentence;

• key vocabulary;

• a table with the categories already labelled;

• the beginning of a worked example;

• two boxes for the most important observations.

Ask the pupil to add only one or two essential details at first. This is more useful than giving them a blank page or expecting them to copy everything from the board.

Teach the pupil how to use it

Do not assume the layout is self-explanatory. Briefly show the pupil where to look, what belongs in each section and how the frame links to the task.

For a Primary science observation, the frame might already contain pictures labelled “before” and “after”. Complete the first example together, then ask the pupil to draw or write one change independently.

For story planning, provide three boxes labelled “beginning”, “problem” and “ending”, with a small visual cue in each. Ask the pupil to record one key idea in each box before writing.

Keep listening and recording separate where possible

If the pupil is expected to listen, understand and write at the same time, important information may be lost. Pause after a short section so they can add one point. Alternatively, provide the essential information and ask them to record an example, explanation or observation.

The frame should support participation in the learning. It should not turn the lesson into copying.

Move towards independent recording

As the pupil becomes more secure:

1. remove one of the completed examples;

2. replace pictures with short headings;

3. ask the pupil to choose the important detail;

4. move from a structured frame to a simple blank template;

5. use the frame only for more demanding tasks.

Check the pupil’s work to see whether the frame is helping them capture the right information. A completed sheet is not enough if they still cannot explain what they recorded.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Including so many boxes and prompts that the frame becomes visually overwhelming.

• Pre-filling the answer rather than the structure.

• Asking the pupil to copy full sentences while also listening.

• Using the same frame for every subject without adapting it to the task.

• Removing support because handwriting looks better rather than because the pupil is selecting and recording information more independently.

Partly completed examples and well-chosen external supports can reduce avoidable pressure on working memory. They work best when they are explicitly taught and gradually adjusted.

Further reading

• How pupils learn: working memory and partially completed examples (Department for Education)

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