1. Keep it practical
Hands-on learning is more memorable for children of all ages. It’s important that children become independent scientists, able to lead their own enquiries. For that they’ll need to build up their practical skills.
See stem.org.uk for free ideas for practical investigations; activities are searchable by age group, topic or cross-curricular theme.
2. Send it home
Build links between home and school by sending simple, fun science investigations home for families to try together. These activities can create moments of awe and wonder. They reinforce the idea that science can happen anywhere and give children valuable opportunities to talk about science beyond the classroom. See science-sparks.com for some great ideas.
3. Student technicians
There are lots of physical resources to manage in science. Why not appoint some student science technicians to help with the day-to-day organisation of your science-related equipment?
Could you ask your local secondary school’s science technicians to pass on a few tips and lend you some of their specialist items?
4. Free online CPD
Update your subject knowledge at ReachOut CPD. Here you’ll find short, online CPD units developed with Imperial College London. These support teachers and aim to cover every year group and primary science topic. Help your colleagues teach science with confidence.
5. Promote scientific thinking
Explorify is a free resource of engaging, creative science activities designed to spark curiosity, discussion and debate.
Activities on offer will get your class thinking and talking about science in a lively and enthusiastic way.
6. Celebrate child-led enquiry
Join the Great Science Share in June. This is a national campaign, which works to raise the profile of primary science and engineering. It also celebrates the process of working scientifically, and developing aspirations towards careers in science and engineering.
7. Assess to plan
To maximise learning opportunities, build your planning around the assessment information your children give you through Assessment for Learning. There are a raft of AFL strategies on the Primary Science Teaching Trust’s website, where you can also explore an interactive PDF containing examples of AFL strategies in practice.
8. Moderate
Moderation can be used to promote professional dialogue around standards, inspire new ideas and develop quality assurance. This helps teachers become more confident in their judgements.
Schools can then benchmark against external exemplars, such as those for Y1 to Y6 collected by The Association of Science Education.
9. School development
The Primary Science Quality Mark is a unique award programme that aims to develop and celebrate the profile of science teaching, learning and leadership in primary schools.
Science subject leaders join a local PSQM hub, and are then supported through a process of needs analysis, action planning and developing science within the school.
10. Take it outside
The health, emotional and social benefits of working outside are widely known. Much of the science curriculum can be investigated through outdoor contexts, so take as many opportunities as you can to move your learning outside.
Claire Seeley is an independent primary science consultant, delivering CPD and Initial teacher training across East Anglia. She is a fellow of the Primary Science Teaching Trust and a member of the Association of Science Education Primary Committee.
