A teacher’s guide to delivering the new specification
Two-year planner
Thirty weeks per year, week by week. Book runs in your single classes · Draw (graphical communication, embedded) happens inside the Book class · Workshop takes the weekly double (80 or 120 minutes). ✔ marks a chapter complete. Slide weeks to fit your calendar — the sequence is what matters. The sequence is deliberately non-linear: Strand 3 arrives in year 1 — the Chapter 8 + 14–16 fabric block, checked at Easter — the same ground as Oide’s exemplar Unit of Learning, taught in October of 5th year. Navy-tint bands mark the eleven Units of Learning the two years divide into — click a band to open that unit’s plan and editable download.
Strand 1 · The Built Environment
Strand 2 · Design, Materials & Craft Skills
Strand 3 · Building Fabric
Strand 4 · Services & Control Technology
Assessment
★ SEC-set date
5th Year
Wk
Book
Draw
Workshop
1
Ch 5 Health and safety I · 5.1–5.4 Safety quiz
Freehand basics: line, proportion, neat lettering
Ch 12 Workshop induction · PPE
2
Ch 5 Health and safety II · 5.5–5.7 ✔
Notes + sketches: site hazards, guarding · safe work sequence
Ch 12 Safety gate · measuring and marking out
3
Ch 1 Built environment and human settlement · 1.1–1.4 · survey ✔ Ch 1 check
Survey sketches: local streetscape in proportion
Ch 12 Sawing and planing
4
Ch 2 Architectural design of homes I · 2.1–2.4
Freehand plans and elevations: form and massing
Ch 12 Chiselling technique
5
Ch 2 Architectural design of homes II · 2.5–2.8 ✔ Ch 2 test
Annotated elevation: orientation and shading
Ch 12 Halving joint — single session
6
Ch 3 Architectural and environmental heritage I · 3.1–3.3
Notes + sketches: vernacular wall build-up
Ch 12 Housing joint — single session
7
Ch 3 Architectural and environmental heritage II · 3.4–3.6 ✔ Ch 3 test
Sketch: conservation detail — repair v replace
Ch 12 Consolidation: combination piece — halving + housing
8
Ch 4 Site selection, planning, and context I · 4.1–4.4
Site layout conventions: north point, boundaries, access
Ch 12 Mortise and tenon: 6 mm / 10 mm chisel
October mid-term
9
Ch 4 Site selection, planning, and context II · 4.5–4.8 ✔ Ch 4 test
Site sketch in proportion + complete a site map: planning items — assessed
Ch 12 Mortise and tenon: on the flat
10
Ch 6 Universal design in homes I · 6.1–6.6
UD plan annotation: widths, turning circles
Ch 12 Barefaced tenon
11
Ch 6 Universal design in homes II · 6.7–6.12 ✔ Ch 6 test
Notes + sketches: UD improvements to a given plan
Ch 12 Bridle joint
12
Ch 7 Sustainable use of materials I · 7.1–7.3
Lifecycle diagram drawn from memory
Ch 12 Consolidation: combination — mortise and tenon + bridle
13
Ch 7 Sustainable use of materials II · 7.4–7.5 ✔ Ch 7 test
Notes + sketches: material reuse detail
Ch 12 Timed check: joint of choice · marking-out lines visible
Cumulative check 1 · Chapters 1–7 · strands interleaved
Christmas examinations · Chapters 1–7 + workshop portfolio
Christmas break
Wk
Book
Draw
Workshop
14
Ch 8 Construction materials I · 8.1–8.4
Sketches: timber defects, seasoning, conversion
Ch 12 Screw joints: pilot hole, countersink, drive
15
Ch 8 Construction materials II · 8.5–8.7 ✔ Ch 8 test
Annotated sketches: insulation types in position
Ch 12 Boring: brace and 9 mm bit for dowel
16
Ch 14 Principles of the building fabric I · 14.1–14.4
Detail conventions: labelling, hatching · working at 1:5 begins
Ch 12 Dovetail: side grain (edge)
17
Ch 14 Principles of the building fabric II · 14.5–14.7 ✔ Ch 14 test
Complete-the-detail (1:5): layer continuity at a junction — label each component
Ch 12 Dovetail: end grain
18
Ch 15 Functions and performance of the building fabric I · 15.1–15.3
Notes + sketches: how a wall sheds water
Ch 12 Curves: compass · coping saw
February mid-term
19
Ch 15 Functions and performance of the building fabric II · 15.4–15.6 ✔ incl. resilience Ch 15 test
Sketch: storm and flood measures on a section
Ch 12 Spokeshave · chamfers · corner removal
20
Ch 16 Substructure and superstructure systems I · 16.1–16.2
Complete-the-detail (1:5): foundation, rising wall, ground floor — label + DPC, radon
Ch 12 Bevel angles: 1:6 and set-square
21
Ch 16 Substructure and superstructure systems II · 16.3
Complete-the-detail (1:5): window sill and head in a cavity wall + prevent heat loss
Ch 12 Consolidation: combination — dovetail + housing, under time
22
Ch 16 Substructure and superstructure systems III · 16.4–16.5
Complete-the-detail (1:5): first-floor junction · stairs section — label components
Ch 12 Timed skill task: no glue, no sandpaper, lines visible
23
Ch 16 Substructure and superstructure systems IV · 16.6–16.8 ✔ Drawing-reading task
Complete-the-detail (1:5): eaves + roof–wall abutment — prevent moisture ingress
Ch 9 Design investigation: mini brief — investigate + design
Cumulative check 2 · Chapters 8 and 14–16 · strands interleaved
Easter break · two weeks
Wk
Book
Draw
Workshop
24
Ch 17 Retrofitting existing dwellings · 17.1–17.6 ✔
Complete-the-detail: retrofit junction — EWI at sill and eaves + risks
Ch 9 Practice brief: explore and investigate
25
Ch 18 Passive and low-energy housing · 18.1–18.6 ✔
Annotated passive section: gains, shading, mass
Ch 9 Practice brief: design solution
26
Ch 19 Buildings, health, and human wellbeing · 19.1–19.5 ✔
Notes + sketches: daylight and ventilation for wellbeing
Ch 10 Practice brief: plan of manufacture
27
Ch 20 Ecological building design · 20.1–20.5 ✔
Sketch: rainwater harvesting · green roof detail
Ch 12 Practice brief: manufacture I
28
— Strands 1–3 consolidation
A3 whole-house section begins — foundation to ridge
Ch 12 Practice brief: manufacture II
29
— Drawing exercise week
A3 whole-house section complete
Ch 12 Practice brief: manufacture III
30
— Portfolio and year review
Drawing portfolio compiled
Ch 13 Evaluate and reflect · descriptor self-assessment
House examinations · full Year 1 course · Chapters 1–20
6th Year
Wk
Book
Draw
Workshop
1
Ch 21 Building regulations and standards I · 21.1–21.3
TGD clauses annotated on a wall section
Ch 12 Skills-test list: joints under time
2
Ch 21 Building regulations and standards II · 21.4–21.5 ✔ Regulation task
Part L and Part M applied to own Year 1 drawings
Ch 12 Timed task: curves, bevels, boring
3
Ch 22 Indoor environment and human comfort I · 22.1–22.2
Comfort factors on a room section
Ch 9 ECE readiness: the five journey stages
4
Ch 22 Indoor environment and human comfort II · 22.3–22.6 ✔ Ch 22 check
Notes + sketches: condensation risk in a room
Ch 9 ECE readiness: descriptors and research
5
Ch 23 Heat transfer and thermal behaviour I · 23.1–23.2
Heat-transfer arrows on a house section
★ SEC AAC ECE brief expected · explore and investigate
6
Ch 23 Heat transfer and thermal behaviour II · 23.3–23.4 ✔ Ch 23 check
U-value layout: λ and R values — exam format
AAC ECE: investigate
7
Ch 24 Ventilation and airtightness I · 24.1–24.4
Ventilation strategy on plan + airtight line
AAC ECE: investigate — conclusions
8
Ch 24 Ventilation and airtightness II · 24.5–24.8 ✔ Ch 24 test
Complete-the-detail (1:5): airtightness at a window head
AAC ECE: design solution
October mid-term
9
Ch 25 Energy performance and operational carbon I · 25.1–25.3
Worked U-value and heat-loss layout under time
AAC ECE: design finish
10
Ch 25 Energy performance and operational carbon II · 25.4–25.6 ✔ Ch 25 test
Demand and cost comparison: table + graph
AAC ECE: plan of manufacture
11
— Calculation clinic I Teacher sign-off
Past-style calculation questions under time
AAC ECE: plan agreed — drawings, cutting list
12
— Calculation clinic II
Calculation portfolio: one clean layout per type
AAC ECE: manufacture I
13
Ch 26 Energy sources and space heating systems I · 26.1–26.3
Complete a heating drawing: pipework, pumps, valves — as given
AAC ECE: manufacture II
14
Ch 26 Energy sources and space heating systems II · 26.4–26.6 ✔ Ch 26 test
Solar thermal and cylinder schematic
AAC ECE: manufacture III
15
— Consolidation · Strand 4 so far
One drawing per chapter, from memory
AAC ECE: manufacture IV
Cumulative check 3 · Chapters 21–26 · strands interleaved
Christmas break
Wk
Book
Draw
Workshop
16
Ch 27 Water supply and conservation systems I · 27.1–27.3
Hot and cold pipework layout, labelled
AAC ECE: manufacture V
17
Ch 27 Water supply and conservation systems II · 27.4–27.5 ✔ Ch 27 check
Notes + sketches: conservation measures
AAC ECE: manufacture VI
18
Ch 28 Drainage and wastewater systems I · 28.1–28.2
Above-ground stack layout
AAC ECE: manufacture complete → evaluate and reflect
Pre-examinations · two weeks · then February mid-term
19
Ch 28 Drainage and wastewater systems II · 28.3–28.5 ✔ Ch 28 test
Section: inspection chamber · treatment system
AAC Pre-exam feedback · ECE final assembly
20
Ch 29 Electrical supply and on-site generation I · 29.1–29.3
Wiring layout: consumer unit and circuits
★ SEC AAC ECE submission window — folio + artefact
21
Ch 29 Electrical supply and on-site generation II · 29.4–29.5 ✔ Ch 29 check
On-site generation integration sketch
★ SEC AAC CSA cutting list expected · task familiarisation
22
Ch 30 Smart home and control technologies · 30.1–30.5 ✔
Smart hub and sensor diagram
AAC CSA: timed partial task
23
— Full services layout exercise
Services layout for a given dwelling — assessed
AAC CSA: timed partial 2 · weak-skill targeting
24
— Revision: Strands 1–2
Complete-the-detail practice: junction of choice, under time
AAC CSA clinics: accuracy and finish
Cumulative check 4 · Chapters 27–30 · strands interleaved
CSA pre-test · full three hours · prescribed-task conditions · no glue, no sandpaper · marking-out lines and exam number visible
25
— Revision: Strand 3
Complete-the-detail practice: second junction, under time
AAC CSA pre-test feedback
26
— Revision: Strand 4 calculations
Calculation layouts under time
AAC CSA readiness: tools, sequence, timing
Easter break · two weeks
Wk
Book
Draw
Workshop
27
— Practice paper 1 · review
Drawing bank: one key drawing per chapter
★ SEC AAC CSA — SEC three-hour session
28
— Practice paper 2 · review
Drawing bank continued
Workshop close-down
29
— Unfamiliar contexts (Higher level)
Drawing bank complete
Individual clinics
30
— Final targeted revision
Weakest drawings redrawn
Individual clinics
State examinations · June · written paper 50% · all four strands
180 hours = 3 hours a week over 60 teaching weeks. Two ways that works: one 2-hour workshop + one 1-hour class weekly; or 2 × 80-minute classes (alone 20 hours short) topped up with one 40-minute class across 5th year. ★ dates are set annually by the SEC. If time is lost: Chapter 30 compresses first, then Chapters 19–20.