ASE 2027 Annual Conference

Join the team working with the Department for Education to develop the reformed Science Programmes of Study in England and GCSEs subject content as we outline the priorities and evidence underpinning the drafting process. This session focuses on Biology at KS3 and KS4 plus transition from KS2 and KS1.

Please note the other sessions in the conference programme, on KS1 and KS2, and on chemistry and physics at KS3 and KS4.

This session shares findings from an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) doctoral study exploring how Heads of Science experience and make sense of GCSE science pathway decisions in secondary schools.

Rather than focusing on outcomes alone, the session explores the lived realities of curriculum decision-making — including tensions between accountability measures, student perceived ability, staffing constraints, and aspirations for equity in science education.

Participants will gain insight into how departmental leaders interpret and negotiate competing pressures when constructing science pathways, and how these decisions shape access to science at Key Stage 4. The session will invite reflection on how curriculum structures are experienced in practice, and what this means for equity and progression in science education.

Observing a practical science lesson is very different from observing a standard lesson, yet most science leads and senior leaders receive little or no training in how to do it well.

This interactive session introduces a structured framework developed by CLEAPSS Primary to help you focus on what really matters when observing practical science. Using video clips from a real lesson and guided discussion, you will explore key focus areas including purpose, lesson practicalities, adaptive teaching, and purposeful feedback, each supported by prompts to help you make confident, considered judgements.

By the end of the session, you will leave with a practical tool you can use straight away to observe lessons, structure your thinking, and provide feedback that makes a real difference to science teaching in your school.
Ideal for: science leads, senior leader with responsibility for science and consultants who support schools to improve science.

By the end of this session, delegates will be able to:
• Describe how observing a practical science lesson differs from most others
• Use a structured framework to focus your observations on what matters most in practical science
• Apply a set of guided prompts to make confident, concise judgements across all aspects of a practical lesson
• Recognise what high-quality practical science looks like across key domains, including purpose, lesson practicalities, adaptive teaching, and purposeful feedback
• Provide clear, evidence-informed feedback that supports teacher development and improves outcomes for pupils

CLEAPSS exists to support effective practical work in schools. Our experience working with schools nationwide means we are uniquely placed to know what makes a strong practical science lesson. Generic lesson observation training leaves many leaders, even experienced ones, ill-equipped to evaluate the learning that a practical lesson brings, or to make meaningful recommendations for improvement. CLEAPSS’ wealth of experience in this area has been distilled into a simple, accessible resource that helps practitioners focus on what really matters.

Climate change is one of the most significant challenges that humankind has ever faced and providing high quality climate change and sustainability education is imperative. The session will explore the interdisciplinary nature of climate change within the primary curriculum. It will consider how learning might be best sequenced and connected to instil in pupils an understanding of the science, geographical impacts, possible mitigations and adaptations of climate change.

The government’s response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review clearly positions climate change and sustainability education within the remit of science and geography. Through a range of practical activities the session will demonstrate how to plan and implement a coherent approach to the teaching and learning of climate change.
Delegates will be prompted to discuss the specific elements that are to be taught within and across the two subjects as well as the possible connections with other foundation subjects such as citizenship and DT. Ofsted outline the importance that learning does not occur in silos and this is particularly pertinent for global issues such as climate change where pupils need to gain an in-depth understanding of the processes that underpin anthropogenic climate change as well as the wide range of impacts. The session will explore how to ensure that climate change education is relevant, hopeful and accessible in part be focusing in on small scale local impacts as well as the large scale global affects of climate change.

There will be the chance to discuss how geographical thinking can be used to interpret scientific data and imagine a range of possible futures, empowering pupils to be part of the solution as informed and active global citizens.

Outcomes:
> Understanding of how to effectively embed climate change content across the primary curriculum
> Make connections between the causes and effects of climate change

This session invites you to rethink what inclusion looks like in science classrooms.

With increasing expectations that every child will achieve and thrive, teachers are navigating a complex challenge: how to meet diverse needs without lowering expectations or adding unsustainable workload. In science, this is intensified by the demands of the subject—specialist vocabulary, abstract ideas, and practical enquiry.
Rather than focusing on intervention after difficulty arises, it introduces a model of inclusion by design, where potential barriers are anticipated and addressed during planning. Drawing on principles from Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and SEND-informed practice, the session will show how small, intentional choices in teaching can widen access to scientific thinking.

We will explore how to:
•design lessons that support engagement, understanding and participation for all learners
•shift from ‘doing’ science to thinking scientifically
•broaden what counts as evidence of learning

Along the way, we will consider some critical questions:
•Who gets to feel like a scientist in our classrooms?
•Which aspects of our teaching unintentionally create barriers?
•And what might it mean to design differently?

This session is lecture-style but will include brief reflection points to connect ideas to your own practice. By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
•Identify common cognitive, linguistic and participation barriers within science lessons
•Explain the principles of an anticipatory, UDL-informed approach to inclusive pedagogy
•Analyse their own teaching or curriculum materials in terms of access, engagement and expression
•Apply at least one practical strategy (e.g. multi-modal representation, structured participation, flexible outcomes) to redesign a science activity
•Critically reflect on how current practices may privilege particular learners and how this could be adapted

Our dedicated Chair Trio invite you to drop-in to the “Chair-Chat” sessions on one of the days of Annual Conference 2027. The Chair is a vital role to the ASE, and the elected Chair provides an authoritative voice for the thousands of members that the ASE supports, along with those working within the wider science education community. Those elected remain part of our Chair Trio for 3 years.

Got a question? Ever wondered about what goes on behind the scenes? Ever thought about getting involved in Committee activities? Are you wanting to know more about Professional Registration or writing an article in one of the ASE journals? First time attending our flagship Conference?

If this is your first ASE Conference, then please come along and say Hello.

We look forward to hearing your questions and will endeavour to answer them or point you in a selection of possible right directions!

ASE Teacher Developers' supports those whose roles include:

> The design, coordination and facilitation of professional development , mentoring and coaching, whether in school, schools groups or external
> Subject and departmental leadership

If this is you, come along to the "Meet the ASE Teacher Developers Committee" during Thursday afternoon tea break of Annual Conference 2027. We'll share upcoming activities led by the committee and talk about the ways you can get involved. We are keen to hear your views about how the ASE Teacher Developers group can support you and your colleagues.

We look forward to listening to your questions and will endeavour to answer them!

The recent curriculum review recognised the importance of good quality purposeful practical science. In this workshop we will share the journeys of some of the schools on our Keeping Science Practical project - hear from the schools how they consistently improved practical provision in their own schools (and the impacts of these changes).