In this session Heather goes back to first principles and explore why knowledge matters and what is meant by a knowledge-rich curriculum. She discussed what this means for teachers and especially the implications of adopting a knowledge-rich curriculum for lesson design. She considered some of the most common pitfalls when trying to adopt a knowledge-rich approach, for example, moving onto task design without clarity about content choices at different levels of granularity.

This session explored how subject specialists and non-specialists can contribute to knowledge-rich curriculum design. Heather examined curriculum progression, the differences between hierarchical and cumulative subjects, and key principles such as coherence, disciplinary rigour, and memory. Participants gained practical insights into designing curricula that build deep understanding and support long-term retention.