Perhaps you have encountered a range of planning formats when you are working in the classroom. Some of you will be using teachers’ plans and others of you may be devising your own plans for activities and / or lessons.

You may have heard about the ‘5 minute plan’ from the Teacher Toolkit website. You can also follow on twitter @TeacherToolkit.

On the website you can watch a short animation that explains the sections of the plan and also look at some examples made by teachers. Here is an example I used when I taught an art session to introduce watercolour paints to a class of Y4 children –

When I have used it I have felt that although it might take 5 minutes to write up this is because I have spent quite some time thinking about it before I write it.  Also I am conscious that I am drawing upon nearly thirty years experience of lesson planning (and teaching).

Here is a blank template for the plan, and there are some other versions of it on the Teaching Toolkit website too.

It would be interesting to know if you are seeing any of the teachers you work with using the format and whether it is useful to TAs who are supporting learning in the class. Have any of you used it when you plan support, activities or lessons? Do comment below or go onto the Teacher Toolkit website and comment there.