Scheme of Work Template for Junior School (Term 1 Explained)

Last reviewed: 27 October 2026

A clear scheme of work template junior school teachers can fill saves hours every term and keeps your professional file ready for a curriculum support officer or TPAD lesson observation. This guide explains each column for Term 1, shows a one-week Grade 7 example, and links the scheme to daily lesson plans.

On this page

1. What a Junior School Scheme of Work Is For
2. Scheme of Work Template: Columns Explained
3. Term 1 Sample Week (Grade 7 Integrated Science)
4. Common Mistakes on Schemes of Work
5. From Scheme to Lesson Plan to Evidence
6. Frequently Asked Questions

What a Junior School Scheme of Work Is For

A scheme of work is the term plan built from the curriculum design: which strand and sub-strand you will teach in which week and lesson, with outcomes, experiences, resources and assessment thought through in advance. TSC lists approved schemes of work among the professional documents teachers must maintain; see the Commission’s performance-management downloads and checklist of professional documents.

Junior School (Grades 7–9) runs 41 lessons a week of 40 minutes each, including one Pastoral Programme of Instruction slot, under the Ministry’s CBE and timetabling guidelines. Your scheme must fit that timetable, not an 8-4-4 double-period habit.

Scheme of Work Template: Columns Explained

Use one sheet (or spreadsheet tab) per learning area, with this header: Institution, Learning area, Grade, Term, Year, Teacher name and TSC number.

1. Week — school calendar week (Week 1 after opening).
2. Lesson — lesson number that week for this learning area (1–5 for Integrated Science).
3. Strand — from the KICD design (for example Scientific Investigation).
4. Sub-strand — the teachable unit (for example Laboratory Safety).
5. Specific learning outcome — “By the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to…” copied or adapted from the design.
6. Learning experiences — what learners do (group practical, discussion, field observation), not what the teacher lectures.
7. Key inquiry question — one open question that drives the lesson.
8. Learning resources — books, charts, apparatus, local materials, digital links.
9. Assessment — observation, oral questions, exit ticket, quiz, project checkpoint.
10. Reflection — left blank until after the lesson; note what worked and who needs remediation.

Official Grade 7–9 designs are listed on the KICD curriculum designs pages. Always start from the current PDF for your grade, not from an old 8-4-4 scheme.

Term 1 Sample Week (Grade 7 Integrated Science)

Assume Week 2 of Term 1, five Integrated Science lessons:

• Lesson 1: Strand Scientific Investigation · Sub-strand Introduction to Integrated Science · Outcome: explain what Integrated Science covers in Junior School · Experience: gallery walk of science photos · KIQ: Why study Integrated Science? · Assessment: oral.
• Lesson 2–3 (double): Laboratory Safety · Outcomes: identify hazards; demonstrate safe practices · Experience: hazard hunt and role-play · Assessment: checklist observation.
• Lesson 4: Laboratory apparatus · Outcome: name and state the use of five common apparatus · Experience: station rotation · Assessment: matching card game.
• Lesson 5: Apparatus continued · Outcome: choose the right tool for a simple task · Experience: teacher demo then learner practice · Assessment: exit ticket sketch.

Spread heavier practicals across the week so you are not improvising materials on Friday afternoon. Our Grade 7 Integrated Science lesson plan sample shows how one of these rows becomes a full 40-minute plan.

Common Mistakes on Schemes of Work

• Copying outcomes word-for-word for every lesson without splitting a long sub-strand across enough lessons.
• Writing “teacher explains” as the only learning experience.
• Leaving assessment blank or only writing “exam” for every row.
• Ignoring reflection until a CSO asks for the file.
• Using wrong lesson counts (five for Integrated Science and Mathematics, four for Social Studies, and so on).

From Scheme to Lesson Plan to Evidence

Each scheme row should produce a lesson plan, notes and a record-of-work entry checked weekly. That chain is what appraisers sample. Pair schemes with a fair classroom test plan using our guide on setting a CBC classroom test, and keep rubrics consistent with CBC assessment rubrics.

More teacher tools live on the Teacher Pass page and the teacher resource store. Learners can revise the same strands on the free CBC Challenge.

Frequently Asked Questions