ASE 2027 Annual Conference

A chance to gets hands-on, and try out some of the latest CLEAPSS practicals.  

Pop in, ask a question, chat with the CLEAPSS advisors!

For queries, please email [email protected]

Conducting experiments is seen as a valuable, if not essential, part of physics education. However, such activities are also costly and time-consuming. Moreover, it is often reported that these activities hardly contribute to the students’ content knowledge, nor that they enhance students’ view on how science works or teaches them how to plan an inquiry independently.

In this interactive presentation, I highlight our approach to teaching scientific inquiry - engaging students in scientific inquiry through a focus on argumentation. I will elaborate on the various studies conducted on teaching scientific inquiry to 14-16y olds (culminated in the dissertation 'Development of a teaching-learning sequence for scientific inquiry through argumentation in secondary physics education').

In addition to a brief overview of the scientific findings, I engage participants hands-on in the activities, provide practical advice and materials that can be directly applied in the own classroom setting.

Keep up to date with the latest guidance, resources, and support available from CLEAPSS.

This session provides an overview of recent changes and important safety updates. Ideal for technicians, teachers, and leaders who want to stay informed and confident in their practice. Join us to ask questions, discuss any concerns, and gain a clear understanding of safe and effective approaches.

A chance to gets hands-on, and try out some of the latest CLEAPSS practicals.  

Pop in, ask a question, chat with the CLEAPSS advisors!

For queries, please email [email protected]

In this session participants will engage in experiments which are conducted solely in a plastic pipette. We will do four experiments on kinetics, equilibrium and extraction.

Participants will measure with and combine different compounds in a pipette and they will observe changes inside the pipette bulb. Our aim is to showcase an easy method to do popular practicals at a lower cost, both timewise and financially. Participants will be left with experiments that work and can be directly applied in their classroom in the same week if they wish. My interest in microscale practicals is born out of necessity - in my country labs are greatly lacking.

In the last 10 or so years I teach teachers in microscale methods and try new experiments in my classroom. In the last few years I work closely with colleagues from UK (school teachers and CLEAPSS) to develop new experiments.

In this engaging, hands-on session, participants will explore how a simple machine can transform drawings in surprising ways. They will begin by discovering what a pantograph is and how it has been used throughout history — from copying drawings before photocopiers to its role in modern machines.
Participants will then build their own working pantograph using simple classroom materials. Once assembled, they'll experiment with enlarging and shrinking drawings, seeing their designs change size. Along the way, they'll explore how pantographs are connected to levers and linkages, and how these ideas are used in real engineering. This session combines creativity with practical problem-solving and is designed to be accessible, fun, and easy to replicate in your own classroom.

Outcomes - by the end of the session, participants will be able to:
> Deliver a structured pantograph lesson within a primary classroom setting
> Explain and model the link between pantographs and levers using simple language
> Construct and troubleshoot a basic pantograph design
> Anticipate and address common pupil misconceptions and challenges
> Adapt the activity for different abilities and classroom contexts
> Facilitate pupil reflection and evaluation within a STEM-focused lesson
> Curriculum Links (UK KS2)
> Science (Year 5): Forces – understanding mechanisms including levers, pulleys, and gears
> Design & Technology: Design, make, and evaluate functional products; develop technical knowledge of mechanical systems
> Art & Design: Develop drawing techniques and scale images
> History (optional link): Study of inventions and technological development over time

Whether you are a lone technician, part of a team or leading a team you will need the support and co-operation of others to make your life easier and get the job done. In this workshop we will look at teams you might be part of, even as a lone technician and ways to communicate and build relationships to build a strong team or support network. We will cover dealing with different people in a team, looking how personalities may differ within a team, how to approach those difficult conversations and how to get things done.

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!

A chance to gets hands-on, and try out some of the latest CLEAPSS practicals.  

Pop in, ask a question, chat with the CLEAPSS advisors!

For queries, please email [email protected]

Come along to this session to alleviate anxieties, boost confidence and make physics fearless. With a focus on the required practicals for GCSE combined science, the session will cover subject knowledge, equipment and provide some troubleshooting tips and tricks.

Suitable for primary or secondary age students, owl pellet dissections are a great way to develop observational skills, learn about what owls eat, the skeleton, and more.

This will be a hands on session where you can learn how to safely dissect owl pellets and discover the tiny bones of animals that the owls cannot digest.

In this session we will demonstrate and discuss how to support SEND students in science practicals and share ideas for SEND science club activities, including demonstrating good use of the Widgit software for work sheets.
Technician delegates will benefit from sharing the ideas and resources to help SEND/EAL students in their practice. 

A chance to gets hands-on, and try out some of the latest CLEAPSS practicals.  

Pop in, ask a question, chat with the CLEAPSS advisors!

For queries, please email [email protected]

This interactive workshop invites participants to explore how outdoor learning can transform the teaching of primary science. Using The Croft on the Heath as a real case study, the session will share practical examples of how outdoor environments have been used to deepen scientific enquiry, increase engagement and develop children’s understanding of the natural world.

Participants will explore how outdoor learning supports working scientifically through observation, questioning, classification, measurement and investigation. The workshop will include examples of curriculum-linked activities, discussion around developing a whole-school mindset and opportunities for participants to reflect on how outdoor science could work within their own settings regardless of space, budget or experience.

The session will also provide practical guidance on funding opportunities, including grant applications and community partnerships that can support the development of outdoor learning spaces and resources.

Participants should expect a collaborative and reflective session with practical ideas that can be adapted immediately within primary science provision.

As a result of attending this session, participants will be able to:

* identify practical ways to embed outdoor learning within primary science teaching
* adapt existing science units to include meaningful outdoor enquiry opportunities
* develop strategies to build staff confidence and pupil engagement in outdoor science
* recognise how outdoor learning can support progression in working scientifically skills
* identify potential funding opportunities and next steps for developing outdoor science provision within their own setting

Background: This workshop is rooted in the ongoing development of The Croft on the Heath at St Mary’s First School. Created through grant funding, community support and a shared vision for nature-connected learning, the project has transformed both the physical environment and the approach to teaching science across the school. Drawing on leadership experience, Forest School principles and classroom practice, the session reflects on how outdoor learning has evolved from isolated enrichment activities into a whole-school pedagogical approach that values curiosity, exploration and pupil-led enquiry.

The workshop also reflects on the challenges faced during implementation, including staff confidence, curriculum integration and sustaining momentum, alongside the strategies that enabled outdoor learning to become embedded within science teaching.

This session responds directly to current priorities in science education, including the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s emphasis on clarifying the purpose and expectations of high-quality practical work, and wider concerns about the effectiveness of practical science in supporting learning.

There is increasing focus on ensuring that practical work has a clear and explicit purpose, supports both knowledge building and disciplinary thinking, and is used selectively and effectively, rather than routinely.
This session builds on:
• Curriculum and Assessment Review (clarity of purpose in practical work)
• Gatsby Good Practical Science (purposeful and planned practicals)
• Research on substantive vs disciplinary knowledge and working scientifically

It is designed to help teachers move from 'doing practicals' to 'designing learning and progression through practicals'.

Outcomes - participants should be able to:
• Understand what makes practical work purposeful and meaningful
• Be able to identify and avoid common pitfalls and misconceptions in practical science
• Gain a clear framework for designing and evaluating practical activities
• Leave with adapted practical ideas ready to use at KS3
• Feel more confident in making intentional decisions about when and how to use practical work

Participants will leave better equipped to ensure that practical work supports deep understanding and scientific thinking, rather than simply engagement or completion of tasks.

Background and context: Practical work is a central feature of science teaching, yet evidence and inspection findings suggest that it is often:

•overly procedural
•weakly linked to conceptual understanding
•focused on task completion rather than reasoning
•does not adequately prepare students for practical work at GCSE
•does not address misconceptions

A chance to gets hands-on, and try out some of the latest CLEAPSS practicals.  

Pop in, ask a question, chat with the CLEAPSS advisors!

For queries, please email [email protected]

In this session I am to  explore ‘what works’ in initiatives that support schools and universities/researchers to work together.  

Welcoming educators, senior leaders, and STEM professionals with experience funding or supporting research in schools to an exploratory workshop finding out what works to involve young people directly in research and innovation. Come along to learn more. Discussions will also inform the design of a new grant aimed at supporting educators to build the confidence and capacity to tap into existing programmes connecting schools and researchers or run their own research projects.

Outcomes: Participants will share and learn about best practice in integrating participating in research in teaching and learning approaches.

Participants will connect with others with an interest in supporting a culture of research and innovation in UK schools.

Participants will influence the design of a pilot grant being developed by the British Science Association.

There are a number of ways that schools can engage with researchers, including through schemes like IRIS, Orbyts and the Royal Society Partnership scheme. However visibility of, and access to these opportunities is not always consistent. With funding from UKRI, the British Science Association will be supporting UK schools in challenging circumstances to deepen their relationships with research and researchers; by taking part in existing schemes or running their own research projects.

The workshop is for educators, senior leaders, and STEM professionals with experience of funding, supporting, or brokering relationships with research and researchers, as well as educators interested in connecting their students with real research.

Students often ask, "When will we ever use this or how is this ever used in real life?"
In this session, we will look at different activities that can be used in lessons or as STEM club activities and how they can be related to careers in the real world.

By doing this we may be able to inspire future STEM enthusiasts.

A chance to gets hands-on, and try out some of the latest CLEAPSS practicals.  

Pop in, ask a question, chat with the CLEAPSS advisors!

For queries, please email [email protected]

PLEASE NOTE THIS SESSION HAS A MAXIMUM CAPACITY OF 24 - on a first-come, first-served basis on the day (Sched is not used for pre-booking.)

Plants are one of the most versatile and accessible model systems in science education — bridging the gap between the macro world students can see and the molecular world that drives it. Anthocyanins, the powerful antioxidants behind the rich colours of grapes, blueberries, and purple cabbage, offer a stunning entry point into both cell biology and genetics — and they're hiding in plain sight.

This two-part session takes you on a journey from plant to pipette. Beginning with phenotype, you'll learn how to reliably germinate rapid cycling brassica seeds to cotyledons in as little as 72 hours — giving your students visible, measurable results within a single school week. From there, we'll connect what students can observe with their own eyes to the molecular evidence beneath the surface.

In this first session, we'll walk you through the full workflow: scoring plants based on their phenotypic purple pigmentation, performing a DNA extraction, and preparing samples for PCR of the anthocyanin/anthocyaninless genetic marker. By the end, you'll have the confidence and the practical know-how to bring authentic plant molecular biology into your classroom.

All delegates participating in Part 1, are welcome to join the Embitec team for tea/coffee and cakes during the break, before Part 2 commences.

This session will highlight the vast multitude of benefits felt by staff and students when employing a microscale approach to practical work.

There will be hands-on opportunities to try out some microscale favourites plus hints and tips for where to start with the set up if you’re new to microscale and how to convince your teaching staff to make the switch!

Join us for a practical and hands-on session where we’ll provide support to run a fresh new science club or transition activity where we do the hard work for you.
We’ll share quick ideas and free resources that you can use immediately and will take the strain of ideas and time. We’ll identify time saving strategies, budget busting ideas and filling your science cup up again!
Perfect for anyone looking to give their transition days or science clubs a facelift!

Outcomes:
As a result of attending our session, you will be able to:
•Leave with ideas, practical solutions and time and money saving tips!
•Reflect on current practice and share with other delegates
•Explore issues specific to technicians providing enrichment support

The aims of this session are to:
• Support technicians with ideas and resources for transition activities and science clubs
• Plenty of pick up and go plans with low prep, high impact
• Identify time and money saving methods of running enrichment activities more effectively

Background:
We have been creating digital resources to support educators to run their own in house science clubs for more than 4 years. These resources are age and thematically organised. Initially our packs were just for primary age range as we both have a primary background. The more time we spent chatting with educators of all ages since the inception of My Science Club, the more the idea of supporting secondary colleagues kept arising. Technicians in particular, spent time on our stands and in our sessions telling us they wished something like this existed for secondary as they never seem to have enough time to pull together ideas for content or had run out of ideas and needed a fresh approach. We suggested that our Upper Primary Packs would work well initially but it lit a fire in our bellies that this could grow into something bigger and support more educators to provide engaging enrichment activities and make their lives easier. In January 2026, we launched our first lower secondary packs adapted from the upper primary content. Now, alongside the talented Dr Jo Montogmery, we are now creating bespoke packs for secondary with primary versions. Both of which can be used effectively in transition activities and lower secondary science clubs.

A chance to gets hands-on, and try out some of the latest CLEAPSS practicals.  

Pop in, ask a question, chat with the CLEAPSS advisors!

For queries, please email [email protected]

Join the past Chair of the ASE's National Technician Committee and the past ASE Chair of the Association, for insights into school science technicians and teachers including trainees, NQTs and RQTs working together - how they collaborate to optimise best working practices!

Effective practical work can be challenging for students for many reasons, not least the overload on their working memory. Students’ understanding of the chemical concepts underlying a practical observation or measurement relies on them cognitively attending to a wide range of matters: their theoretical understanding of the world, new and recalled skills and knowledge, instruction in written and verbal form, the materials and equipment, and the social environment of the classroom.

This session will discuss two key aspects of improving students’ experience and engagement with practical work. Microscale practical tasks make use of smaller quantities of chemicals, simpler equipment and techniques, and a more rapid progression from start to observations and measurements. Integrated instructions use simplified guidance incorporated into diagrammatic representations of equipment and method. Participants will see how these approaches have been embedded throughout the chemistry curriculum, including the selection of suitable tasks, typical student responses and outcomes, and the process of securing staff buy-in. Links will be drawn between examination syllabuses and the conceptual understanding developed through these practicals.

Outcomes: Participants will be able to identify opportunities for microscale practical work, adapt instructions to reduce extraneous demand, and plan steps for implementation in their own departments.

PLEASE NOTE THIS SESSION HAS A MAXIMUM CAPACITY OF 24 - on a first-come, first-served basis on the day (Sched is not used for pre-booking.)

Plants are an ideal model system to teach macro and molecular levels of biology. Anthrocyanins are powerful antioxidants found in many of our favourite produce, including grapes, blueberries and purple cabbage.

In this second session, the molecular evidence comes to life. Taking the PCR products prepared in Part 1, you'll load and run your samples on the MiniOne Electrophoresis System — visualising the DNA banding patterns that reveal the genotype of each plant. Within minutes, the gel tells the story: which plants carry two functional copies of the anthocyanin gene, which carry one, and which carry none.

With results in hand, the real scientific thinking begins. Students will compare their molecular data directly against the phenotypes they scored in Part 1 — connecting the visible purple or green pigmentation of each plant to the genetic evidence on the gel. It's a genuine eureka moment: the bridge between what students can see and what the DNA reveals.

This session brings Mendelian genetics off the page and into the lab in the most tangible way possible. Dominant and recessive alleles are no longer abstract concepts — they are visible bands on a gel, matched to living plants sitting right in front of your students.

A selection of experiments both demonstrated and trialled from the six recent freely downloadable Science on Stage booklets. Experiments suitable for all ages covering a wide range of topics but each easily accessible in school and home these will open many opportunities. We will demonstrate some uses of household items and offer participants an opportunity to try themselves.

The booklets also provide an ideal resource of CPD. and the demonstrations will include opportunities for Q&A.

If you are a science technician, come along to the "Meet the Technicians Committee" session at the end of Friday of Annual Conference 2027.

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 for one of the ASE journals or webpages, or presenting at one of our events and sharing your practice?

We look forward to meeting you and helping with your queries!