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A comprehensive, one-year, evidence-informed, professional development and school improvement programme to equip primary science subject leaders with the knowledge, confidence, and expert support they need to transform the quality and profile of science education in their schools. Science subject leaders who successfully complete the programme receive recognition for their school through the accreditation of a highly-regarded Primary Science Quality Mark.

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The Primary Science Quality Mark (PSQM) is designed to set every child on a path to a life filled with exciting opportunities.

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Your school is almost certainly already a member – email to check - membership@cleapss.org.uk. CLEAPSS is the organisation which supports practical work in schools, providing health and safety guidance and lots of teaching resources.

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Free resource used by over 70% of primary schools. A range of activities to develop curiosity, discussion and reasoning skills. Ready-to-go, high-quality videos, images and thought-provoking questions to get your pupils thinking like scientists! Some leadership and planning resources.

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Explorify is an exciting programme of free activities for primary school teachers. | Spark Curiosity | Develop Thinking Skills | Increase Your Impact.

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Free resource providing support with planning, assessment and progression in science. Resources for both subject leaders and classroom teachers.

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"An excellent resource that can be used at a school level and subject teacher level. The science resources and content matrices offer clear support for moderation with a significant number of free resources over several years."

Welcome to

PLAN primary science resources support the planning and assessment of the
Science National Curriculum in England

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PLAN primary science resources support teachers in primary schools to plan and assess the science National Curriculum for England. The resources also support the moderation of assessment and include CPD materials for use by subject leaders.

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Free database of plans that focus on the assessment of enquiry skills (working scientifically) and focused assessment examples of children’s learning. A pyramid tool that provides a framework to help schools evaluate and develop their primary science assessment processes.

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The PSTT advises teachers to refer to either the CLEAPSS website or SSERC website for up to date health and safety information when planning practical activities for children.

The PSTT is not liable for the actions or activities of any reader or anyone else who uses the information in these resource pages or the associated classroom materials. The PSTT assumes no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information contained in these resources. The PSTT recommends that a full risk assessment is carried out before undertaking in the classroom any of the practical investigations contained in the resources.

All materials are ©Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT) and are freely available to download and share for educational purposes. Whilst educators are free to adapt the resources to suit their own needs, acknowledgement of copyright on all original materials must be included. Rights to images included in the resource have been purchased for PSTT use only - as such, these images may only be used as part of this resource and may not copied into or used in other materials.

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Guidance and resources to support teaching and assessment.

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Lesson plans designed to cover National Curriculum objectives as well as ideas for assessment, as well as support and challenge suggestions. For Outdoor Learning CPD email helen@springlearning.co.uk

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Teaching Primary Science Outdoors is a book packed full of activities for teaching science in the outdoor environment. The lessons are designed to cover curriculum objectives and include ideas for assessment, as well as support and challenge suggestions. The lessons are suitable for most school grounds and the majority do not require resources that schools wouldn't normally have access to.

This book will inspire you to take your class outdoors, and provides some simple ideas for activities, as well as a few more ambitious outdoor science lesson ideas!
The 28 lessons each cover the following:

Enquiry type - Which of the 5 types of enquiry is used in this lesson?

Conceptual knowledge - Lesson objectives which support children's acquisition of knowledge.

Working scientifically - Lesson objectives which support the development of scientific enquiry skills.

Assessment - A description of what children meeting the objectives will be able to do.

Resources needed - What equipment will need to be prepared in advance of the lesson?

What to do - Ideas for how to structure the lesson.

Assessment for learning - Formative assessment activities that can take place as part of the lesson; these can be used to inform future teaching.

Science Capital - Suggested ideas for developing children's Science Capital as part of the lesson, or as an addition to the lesson.

Support - Guidance for supporting children who are working below age-related expectations.

Extension - Guidance for challenging more able children.

Follow up - Suggested ideas for follow-up lessons.

Key vocabulary.

The book is supported by a comprehensive Pdf pack of resources and useful links.

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Teaching Primary Science Outdoors - Millgate

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Teaching Primary Science Outdoors is a book packed full of activities for teaching science in the outdoor environment. The lessons are designed to cover curriculum objectives and include ideas for assessment, as well as support and challenge suggestions. The lessons are suitable for most school grounds and the majority do not require resources that schools wouldn't normally have access to.

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Logos for the 5 types of enquiry outlined in the National Curriculum

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Do your pupils know and understand all the different ways to answer their scientific questions?

Downloads

Explore the five scientific enquiry types and create a classroom display with these posters, click each circle to download individual posters:

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Download the poster resources set for the classroom, showing the different scientific enquiry types, and discover how to visually engage children in science.

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Lots of free resources for members including CPD and discounts on paid resources. National and local conferences.

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The ASE's 2024 flagship Annual Conference takes place at the University of Northampton's Waterside Campus in January, from the 4th to the 6th...

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Lots of resources to support teaching science – some free and some paid.

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The Primary Science Teaching Trust helps improve the teaching and learning of science to children and young people in the UK.

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Free online CPD to support science teaching.

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Primary Resources Science | Reach Out CPD

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Teach your primary science curriculum with confidence
Online CPD, developed with Imperial College London
Ideal for international curricula and mapped to the UK national curriculum

Why have we created Reach Out CPD?

by Professor Robert Winston

"If you're going to single out the most important job in our society, it has to be teaching.

Whenever I stand in front of a primary school class it's a bit terrifying because they will ask the most difficult questions about science.

It's often harder to teach an 8 year-old than an 18 year-old, but the rewards are massive because of the enthusiasm you gain. If we want a better society, we have to invest in these younger children.

Science isn't just for scientists

Primary science isn't just about nurturing the scientists of the future. It's about ensuring every child develops a natural curiosity about the world around them and starts to think analytically about situations.

Why should I eat this food or that food? Why is this product better than that? Why should I vote for this energy policy? Science is behind so many of today's decisions, let alone tomorrow's.

Helping teachers feel confident

Teachers are key to creating this science-literate society. They can inspire children to think more scientifically. Teacher confidence has been proven to impact children's outcomes in science, but, naturally, most primary school teachers don't have a science background.

That's why we have developed Reach Out CPD - to give every primary school teacher the professional development, support and materials they need to teach science with confidence. And to make it fun!

Imperial is proud to be championing this initiative."

Courses and resources to help you inspire young learners

Over 30 courses for teaching 5-11 year olds cover everything from plants to planets. Each one provides teachers with concise topic knowledge and a whole raft of resources to use in class, including captivating short videos, practical activities and experiments, whiteboard visuals and more.

Topics covered include:

Seasonal Changes
Environment and Habitats
Light and Sound
Forces and Magnets
Future of Energy
Working Scientifically

Food and Feeding
Body Systems
Plants
Planet Earth and Space
Animals and Humans
Rocks and Soils

A partnership between Tigtag and Imperial College London

Tigtag, a part of Twig Education, is an award-winning provider of captivating short films and resources for primary schools. Reach Out CPD includes a whole series of brand new films created by Tigtag to inspire teachers with imaginative classroom ideas.
Learn more about Tigtag
Imperial College London is one of the world's leading science universities. Imperial's move to support primary education is an extension of its existing outreach work, aimed at raising the aspirations of students and inspiring them to study science, technology, engineering and medicine. Through Reach Out CPD teachers will learn directly from Imperial experts about the science they need to cover in the classroom.
Learn more about Imperial College London

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Primary Resources Science | Reach Out CPD

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Primary school teachers, sign up now for free 20-minute chunks of subject knowledge and classroom resources.

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Lots of resources and blog posts to support science leadership. All free. Paid CPD also available.

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Education consultancy specialising in supporting primary schools with science and D&T

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Free download of the handbook available

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Developing a justice-oriented science teaching approach for primary schools.

The Primary Science Capital Teaching Approach (PSCTA): Teacher Handbook

Handbook translated into other languages

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The Primary Science Capital Project was a three year long (2019-22) applied action research - where we worked in partnership with teachers and teacher educators to develop a science capital informed pedagogical approach for use in primary schools, from Reception to Year 6.

Research and Goals

Our research questions included:

How can the principles of the secondary Science Capital Teaching Approach translate to the primary sector?

What are the challenges and issues in implementation?

How do these vary between teachers, different types of school/ pupil populations (e.g. SES, ethnicity) and by key stage?

What are the impacts and effects of implementation of the approach across the sample on children and teachers?

Impact of the project:

Supported primary teachers to develop new skills to build their confidence and competence in science teaching from a social justice lens

Identified the ways in which teachers can better support children's engagement with science thus contributing to both improved public scientific literacy and addressing the future STEM skills gap.

Accredited 16 trainers to cascade the approach across the UK

Methodology

The project comprised of two phases:

Phase 1 (2019 - 20)

Development of the Primary Science Capital Teaching Approach using action research:

10 Teacher fellows and academic partners met regularly to feedback, test, amend and refine pedagogical principles and materials of the secondary-focused Science Capital Teaching Approach

Researchers supported fellows to research their own practice and conduct additional data collection to both ensure consistent baseline data and support the project's knowledge-development

Refined the existing science capital measure and make appropriate versions for primary pupils

Phase 2 (2020 -21)

Qualitative and quantitative research was conducted to understand the implementation of the Primary Science Capital Teaching Approach

The Approach's impact was assessed by following the fellows as they cascaded the Approach to their colleagues, with an emphasis on how best to retain fidelity to the evidence-based practice

Dissemination of the approach

To disseminate, scale and embed the primary science capital teaching approach (PSCTA), we offered two training courses (2021-22):

1. A 9-month accredited training course (offered virtually) enabled participants to develop an in-depth understanding of the PSCTA and become proficient in cascading it to others. The aim of the course was to establish a national network of high-quality regional coordinators, who will be able to cascade the approach and support teachers in their area to understand and use the PSCTA in their practice.

2. A 5-month course was offered to science subject leads. This virtual course enabled participants to develop an understanding of the PSCTA and apply the approach within their own practice.

Meet the trainers

The following accredited trainers have successfully completed the 9-month accredited trainer course, which was a direct training conducted by the researchers to develop an in-depth understanding of the PSCTA approach. Below, is the list of the successful trainers:

Alex Farrer

Alison Trew

Amy Strachan

Bryony Turford

Carol Sampey

Claire Loizos

Doug Ashton

Emily Royall

Graham Wigley

Hayley Sherrard

Jenny Watson

Jo Moore

Jo Montgomery

Katharine Pemberton

Kulvinder Johal

Lorraine Coghill

Paul Tyler

Ruth Shallcross

Scott Walker

Tracy Tyrell

Primary Science Capital project blog

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Developing a justice-oriented science teaching approach for primary schools.