Challenges related to progression and continuity in the curriculum: Curriculum development to support pupil progress

The main aim of physical education teachers is to support pupils to make progress in their learning. Thus, through planning, teaching and assessment, it is important to ensure that learning activities enable pupils to learn something new, to embed existing learning and to use existing learning as a base for future learning. In order to achieve this, one important consideration (although not the only one) is progression and continuity in the curriculum. Lack of progression and continuity, reflected in, for example, pupils either repeating what they have already learnt and what they already know, or being challenged at too high or too low a level, may result in pupils becoming demotivated, resulting in a decrease in their levels of confidence, engagement and participation in physical education. If not addressed, this may result in pupils potentially choosing not to participate in physical activity outside physical education and after they leave school (which is a common aim of many physical education curricula).The chapter starts by looking at some definitions of curriculum, knowledge and progression and continuity as the terms are used in this chapter. Using a focused scenario, the chapter then looks at how a school identified issues with pupil engagement in physical education as a result of lack of progression and continuity in the curriculum. The chapter then identifies some factors in the design of a curriculum that might impact on progression and continuity. It then looks specifically at the content of a curriculum and how it is taught before considering how continuity in the curriculum may be disrupted, focusing particularly on the transition from primary to secondary school. The chapter then returns to the original scenario to identify actions taken in relation to progression and continuity in the curriculum so that pupils are able to progress in their learning.