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.
Participants will be invited to explore an emerging solution: online, on-demand professional development for teachers. Drawing on experience of working with schools and delivering primary science CPD across a range of settings and contexts, we will examine how on-demand PD can support improvements in teacher confidence and subject knowledge, critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of digital professional development. Participants will be invited to reflect on the limitations that are experienced within their own settings.
The session will position on-demand CPD not as a replacement for all professional learning, but as a pragmatic, forward-thinking response to current system challenges; offering a way to broaden participation and improve consistency in primary science teaching, while encouraging participants to discuss how these approaches align with their own contexts.
Session format: •Explore and briefly discuss key findings from the State of Primary Science 2025 report related to CPD access and teacher development •Discuss on-demand CPD in primary science, examining design principles that promote engagement, retention and classroom impact •Critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of online approaches, including issues of motivation, accountability and depth of learning •Share and reflect on examples of how on-demand CPD might support improvements in subject knowledge, pedagogy and confidence
Intended outcomes: •Interpret key CPD-related findings from State of Primary Science 2025 •Evaluate how on-demand CPD can support teacher confidence and subject knowledge •Critically assess strengths and limitations of digital professional development •Identify practical approaches for implementing or advocating scalable CPD solutions.
With over a decade of experience as a teacher, I specialise in STEM subjects and digital content creation. In my current role at White Rose Education I develop resources that support primary teachers, aligning with the national curriculum and fostering engagement in science. Through... Read More →
White Rose Education is proud to sponsor the Primary Programme of the ASE 2027 Annual Conference
Created by teachers, mathematicians and scientists, White Rose Education is dedicated to helping every teacher become a world-class teacher.
White Rose Science takes the highly successful approach we pioneered with White Rose Maths and transfers it to the primary science curriculum. It uses a “small steps” approach to science teaching, and closely follows the national curriculum for science for years 1 - 6. It gives... Read More →
This session will cover IR spectroscopy - interpretation of spectra to determine functional groups & fingerprinting using example spectra run by volunteer delegates to exemplify key teaching and examination points; ditto for 1H NMR spectroscopy - methods of interpreting spectra to determine molecular structure and predicting spectra from known structures - again to exemplify key teaching and examination points.
Outcomes: delegates will be more au fait with what a good examination answer looks like for both IR and 1H NMR and the classic student misconceptions to avoid.
I am a former chemistry teacher (20 yrs) now working in STEM Outreach at a Russell Group University (16 years) and an experienced (31 yrs) A-level chemistry examiner for a major English exam board. I run many masterclasses, A-level Revision Workshops and Spectroscopy in a Suitcase... Read More →
This session will explore how action research has been used to drive meaningful and sustained improvements in science teaching and learning at The Manchester Grammar School. Framed around the principle of teachers as researchers, we will share how small-scale, classroom-based inquiry has empowered colleagues to take ownership of their professional development and directly shape departmental practice.
Over the course of the session, we will present a series of practitioner-led research projects carried out across the science department. We will outline how these projects were structured, supported, and embedded into a wider CPD programme, including the role of collaborative discussion, learning walks, and professional dialogue.
Crucially, we will evaluate the impact of this approach beyond individual classrooms, demonstrating how insights from action research have informed departmental priorities, strengthened consistency in teaching, and contributed to a culture of reflective practice. We will also reflect on the challenges of implementing this model and how they were addressed to ensure engagement and sustainability.
The session will include opportunities for discussion, enabling participants to consider how a similar approach could be adapted to their own contexts. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for embedding action research into CPD and for fostering a culture where evidence-informed practice can thrive.
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
Play is key for young children’s learning, and the world around them is a source of wonder and interest. Using play based methods, NUSTEM have developed a resource to help early years educators introduce young children to STEM careers.
The resources are designed to support adults without a science or STEM background to confidently engage children with science and careers. In this session we will look at why it’s important to introduce STEM careers into early years and how we can help children playfully explore the world around them through the award-winning Play, Be, C resource.
As a result of this session, participants will be more aware of how children's career understanding can be supported even at this young age, and considered how they could make use of the Play, Be, C resource in their setting.
What does an ambitious science education look like from primary through to secondary? This session will explore how we can keep expectations high for all pupils, prioritise depth before pace, and use rich texts, images, examples and questions to provoke curiosity and build secure knowledge.
Mary Myatt will consider what happens when we move beyond coverage and activity and give pupils the intellectual substance and time they need to think, make connections and encounter the power of the discipline. The session will also explore how assessment can support, rather than distort, this ambition.
Educational writer, speaker, blogger, consultant, Myatt & Co
I'm Mary Myatt an education adviser, writer and speaker working with schools, trusts and organisations across the UK. My work focuses on curriculum, teaching and learning, leadership and, increasingly, how we make Key Stage 3 more ambitious and intellectually generous for every pupil... Read More →
We'd love to talk about physics education and how we can help you, your school or your MAT - and we've got treats. Join the IOP team to tell us what's going well and what you think we should be doing to support the profession.
The Institute of Physics (IOP) is the professional body and learned society for physics in the UK and Ireland, with an active role in promoting co-operation in physics around the world. We strive to make physics accessible to people from all backgrounds.
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!
Associate Professor Learning and Teaching / Outgoing Chair of the ASE 25/26, University of Hertfordshire & Creative Primary Science Education Consultancy
I worked in primary schools for over twenty years as a classteacher, senior leader and Deputy Headteacher. I taught across Key stages 1, 2 and 3 in UK and in Spain. During this time I developed a passion for science, art and design, improvised drama, assessment for learning, creativity... Read More →
Primary Science Education Consultant / Co-Chair of the ASE
Claire Seeley has been a teacher for over thirty years in a wide variety of contexts including both inner city and rural schools England. Claire is also a Primary Science Consultant, providing both continuing professional development and initial teacher training. She has a passion... Read More →
Associate Professor of Science Education, Nottingham Trent University
I started my professional career as a classroom teacher and science lead in a London primary school. I was and remain passionate about classroom learning that promotes a scientific mindset alongside the development of an understanding of key scientific concepts. This professional... Read More →
This session will look at two specific EEF guidance reports in detail with a physics-specific lens: Improving Secondary Science and Effective Professional Development. We will draw on a wider evidence-base concerning the challenges of adult behaviour change and its influence on improving teacher practice. This session will consider individual and organisational impact and will be relevant to teachers and leaders of physics.
Background: The Ogden Trust has worked closely with Durrington Research School and The EEF on the Working Through Others programme, a new pillar of The EEF's impact work focused on developing and delivering evidence-informed practice. The results of this collaboration have informed The Ogden Trust's new strategy and programme development.
Ben is an Assistant Director at Durrington Research School, and Assistant Headteacher at Durrington High having joined the school in 2013. Ben has previously been head of Geography. As part of his wider school role, Ben in responsible for ensuring the quality and consistency of... Read More →
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.
This interactive session will explore how disciplinary literacy can be embedded into post-16 science curricula to support learners in moving beyond the memorisation of key terms towards reading, writing, reasoning and communicating like scientists.
The session draws on work developed at Milton Keynes College Group within a growing sixth form context, where disciplinary literacy has been used as a curriculum design principle across A Level and Applied Science provision. The approach was developed in response to a familiar post-16 challenge: learners may know isolated scientific vocabulary, but struggle to interpret exam questions, explain processes precisely, evaluate evidence, or communicate using the conventions of the discipline. Drawing on research-informed practice in disciplinary literacy, curriculum design, and assessment, the session will show how science teachers can make the hidden demands of scientific reading, writing, and thinking more explicit.
Participants will examine examples of how diagnostic questions can reveal gaps in conceptual understanding, command-word interpretation, and scientific reasoning. The session will also consider how independent study booklets and structured writing tasks can help learners practise the forms of explanation, evaluation and evidence use required in Biology, Chemistry and Forensic Science. There will also be a demonstration of tools which are used to identify specific AO gaps which relate to terminology/application of language and how we address it.
During the session, participants will be able to review sample resources, view the tools we use and given time to consider how similar approaches could be adapted for their own phase, subject or qualification context.
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
1. Identify the specific literacy demands within post-16 science tasks; 2. Distinguish between teaching scientific vocabulary and developing disciplinary scientific thinking. 3. Use diagnostic questions to uncover barriers to scientific understanding. 4. Adapt examples of disciplinary literacy resources for Biology, Chemistry, Forensic Science or related pathways. 5. Consider how disciplinary literacy can support curriculum planning for academic, applied and future technical science routes.
The session is intended for science teachers, curriculum leaders, post-16 practitioners and anyone interested in strengthening students’ access to complex scientific knowledge through practical, evidence-informed pedagogy.
Most teachers have been confronted in the classroom by a "chemical grenade" - a question from a pupil that may or may not have been intended to cause damage, but which was also both hard to answer and very interesting, often just touching the edges of the syllabus.
By sharing some of the most interesting chemical grenades from my teaching, I hope to outline an approach to answering these questions in the pursuit of developing teachers' chemistry knowledge and ability to explain abstract concepts from physical an inorganic chemistry at GCSE and A-level in a "rigorous but hand waving" way that pupils might appreciate.
Some grenades to be considered, most drawn from A-level pupils, include: "When an equilibrium responds to an increase in pressure, does the pressure ever return to its old value?", "If copper complexes are coloured because of d-d transitions, why don't they just re-emit the light they absorbed?", "How do chiral molecules rotate plan polarised light differently when they are randomly oriented?", "Why doesn't adding a solid to an equilibrium mixture change the position of equilibrium?"
I hope to show that working out the answers to these questions, and then how to present the answer to pupils, can be tricky, but also leads to a better understanding of the chemistry being taught.
Matthew has been teaching high school chemistry for 16 years and is in charge of a team of 13 chemists at St Paul's School. His department teaches about 750 pupils and has been building microscale and small scale chemistry into their curriculum for several years, and he and his team... Read More →
Scientific literacy is not secured by asking pupils to remember more scientific terms. In primary science, pupils need the language to think, reason, explain, compare, justify and connect ideas. This session will explore how schools can move beyond vocabulary word lists towards an explicit, progressive and purposeful approach to scientific vocabulary teaching.
The session is informed by Recommendation 1 of the EEF Improving Primary Science guidance, which identifies vocabulary as an important factor in improving pupils’ science learning. However, the session is designed to be relevant beyond England. Pupils in any science curriculum need support to move between everyday language, general academic language and precise scientific terminology. Words such as force, solution, current or material can carry everyday meanings that interfere with scientific understanding, while Tier 2 words such as compare, evidence, cause, effect, increase and decrease often provide the language pupils need in order to reason scientifically.
I will share learning from my current PSTT-funded scientific vocabulary project, which supports a primary school to review existing vocabulary provision, distinguish between Tier 2 and Tier 3 words, refine definitions, identify polysemous words and decide where vocabulary is best taught across the curriculum. The project includes baseline audit tools, pupil vocabulary tasks, CPD, implementation support and the development of a vocabulary progression resource.
The session will use this project as a case study to explore how schools can move from isolated vocabulary activities towards a coherent, curriculum-led approach to scientific literacy. Participants will consider how one school is reviewing its identified key vocabulary, separating Tier 2 and Tier 3 terms, defining words more precisely and selecting teaching approaches to support pupils’ scientific talk and writing.
The session will be interactive. Participants will work with a sample primary science vocabulary list to identify Tier 2, Tier 3 and polysemous words, consider which words are doing the most conceptual work and decide where vocabulary should be explicitly taught, revisited and applied. I will then share a practical five-step model emerging from the project: audit, classify, sequence, teach and evaluate. This model is intended to help teachers and science leaders move from isolated vocabulary activities towards coherent curriculum implementation.
Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of why Tier 2 vocabulary often needs to be taught before Tier 3 terminology, how everyday meanings can obstruct scientific understanding, and how vocabulary can be planned progressively across a primary science curriculum. They will also take away a practical framework for reviewing vocabulary in their own setting and identifying manageable next steps.
Science is a mandatory subject across most nations, and we too often take its privileged position for granted. Much has been written about the purpose of education but far less when it comes to the specifics of science education.
Science teaching and curriculum development should be grounded in sound reasons for its presence on the curriculum along with what it should contain and what it should stand for. Over the last year data has been gathered, supported by the ASE, to probe how science teachers perceive the purpose of science education. Surveys have been able to establish certain standpoints are more widely help than others; in this presentation we will look at this research and its findings, and look at science education through the lenses of utility, curiosity, culture and citizenship. This research has implications for all involved in science education, from the classroom through to curriculum policy makers.
By the end of the session colleagues will hopefully have some alternative perspectives on why science education is so important and why its importance will only grow over time.
Senior Lecturer in Education, University of Chester
I'm a senior lecturer in Educational Leadership at the University of Chester. My main teaching covers Professional Learning and Change Leadership but I also tutor across the MA Educational Leadership programme. My principal research interest is in teacher retention and by focusing... Read More →
Building on our work investigating the mathematical skills of trainee science teachers, in this session we will explore the needs of serving teachers. The aim of the session is to inform our next steps to support trainees and serving science teachers with the maths skills required to teach GCSE sciences.
In this session we will: (a) identify mathematical skills challenges (b) revisit issues experienced by trainees (c) identify the issues for serving teachers using: (i) a survey of GCSE Examiners’ reports (ii) an overview of existing CPD provision for serving teachers together with lessons from uptake and evaluation information.
Working closely with trainee teachers, we have begun to review existing resources that might help teachers to improve their maths skills. In this session participants will be asked about: (a) the resources teachers and teacher developers use to develop maths skills of serving teachers (b) whether an online self-assessment tool would be helpful (c) what additional CPD provision may help (d) the possible role of online asynchronous support (e) resources that might support science teachers to improve their maths skills pedagogy
Background: With over 60 years of Physics teaching experience between them as well as a background of supporting Science teachers with Physics, Ally Davies, Liz Nourshargh and Caroline Neuberg have been working together on the maths skills of trainee science teachers since 2021, initially as part of the IOP Physics Teacher Educator Programme. Since then, they have presented at conferences, published a paper, written maths support materials and delivered Maths CPD on behalf of a number of organisations. As they continue to work with trainee Science teachers and deliver maths CPD for a variety of organisations, they aim to ensure that the tools developed are suitable for and freely available to all Science teachers.
At this conference I'll be speaking about recent work on maths skills of trainee science teachers and considering what support might be helpful for in service teachers of science. In my semi-retirement, I'm also working to improve representation of minoritised groups/identities... Read More →
Senior Lecturer in Education / Consultant, Leeds Trinity University
Dr. Caroline Neuberg is a Senior Lecturer in Secondary Education at Leeds Trinity University (LTU). The second Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP) completed by her science trainees focuses on signature pedagogies, dedicated to practical work. Many of the trainees, who have experienced... Read More →
Metacognition has been shown, through numerous studies (including the two superb EEF reports) to be an incredible important pedagogical approach to supporting the improved attainment of our learners. However, metacognition is notoriously a difficult to understand approach, that is so often invisible in lesson.
Understanding what to do is not always obvious - which is exactly the purpose of this session. The purpose of this session is to not just illuminate precisely what metacognition is, but also to explore a number of different approaches (with examples) of what it looks like in the science classroom.
All attendees will leave with a clearer understanding as to the importance of having a metacognitive focus in their teaching, and a greater set of tools to be able to develop meaningful opportunities for metacognitive development in their classrooms.
Climate change is now part of everyday classroom conversation, yet many primary teachers still feel uncertain about how best to explain complex climate topics in a balanced, age-appropriate and scientifically confident way.
This highly practical and interactive workshop draws on lessons learned through delivering climate workshops to KS2 pupils in primary schools across the Midlands, together with the development of The Climate Classroom educational podcast and companion educational materials.
The session will focus on practical, classroom-tested approaches for helping children understand key climate ideas clearly: what greenhouse gases do, why the planet is warming, how food, transport and materials connect to climate, and how solutions and innovation can be discussed without creating fear or confusion.
Participants will experience adaptable techniques including role play, discussion prompts, short quizzes, visual imagery and simple explanation frameworks designed for KS2 and early KS3 pupils.
The session will also consider how teachers can prepare well using reliable materials and trusted scientific sources, while still responding honestly to unexpected pupil questions that may need follow-up after the lesson.
Sources discussed will include NASA, NOAA, the IPCC, the WMO and the UK Met Office.
Participants will leave with practical classroom strategies, classroom-tested activity ideas, greater confidence in discussing climate change, and examples of freely accessible climate literacy resources suitable for KS2 and early KS3 classrooms.
In science we predominantly represent data numerically or graphically. Teachers, and students, are comfortable with the idea that we can represent the world by a series of numbers or a line on a graph.
Sonification is an approach to treating and analysing data through sound to create an auditory display. One example that has been fairly widely used is the representation of astronomical data and concepts, including in planetaria. One benefit for astronomers of using sound is because the dataset are extremely large which can make it hard to plot the data in a conventional manner i.e. graphically. However, sound can have a range of parameters such as pitch, volume, tempo and type of instrument. This variety means that it is possible to represent and comprehend a much more complex data set using sound.
In addition, sonification also has use to support people who are blind or vision impaired to access data and visual information more readily.
In this session, participants will make their own (simple) sonifications of different data, and consider how they could use sound to help students explore data in their classrooms.
Animal behaviour is an inherently fascinating subject that helps students make sense of the natural world — and of themselves. From communication and courtship to cooperation, learning and survival, students instinctively connect their own experiences with the behaviour of other animals, whether wild or domestic.
As Education Officer for The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour and an experienced classroom teacher, I will showcase a range of free, classroom-ready resources and practical activities designed to support teachers in delivering specification content through engaging examples from animal behaviour.
This interactive session will provide delegates with adaptable strategies, discussion ideas and active-learning approaches suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities, from primary through to A level.
This session is ideal for teachers looking for practical, memorable and enjoyable ways to teach biology content, particularly early-career teachers or non-specialists seeking fresh approaches. Activities and resources suitable for primary, secondary and post-16 teaching will be included throughout.
This session explores how a mechanistic approach can improve the teaching of organic chemistry at post-16, helping students move beyond surface memorisation to genuine understanding. Drawing on evidence from examiners’ reports and common errors seen in student work, we will examine why students often struggle with mechanisms and how a more structured, language-rich approach can overcome these barriers.
Delegates will consider how to build student fluency in recognising key features of reactions before tackling mechanisms themselves. This includes confidently identifying homolytic versus heterolytic fission, and distinguishing between addition, substitution, and elimination through analysis of overall equations. Participants will engage with a range of carefully designed, classroom-tested strategies to scaffold learning across the two years of the course. These include:
•Dual coding approaches to represent mechanisms visually and verbally •Activities matching mechanistic steps to their chemical meaning •Diagnostic tasks that require students to select or justify the next step in a mechanism •Completion and sequencing exercises to reveal and address misconceptions
All resources are grounded in research-informed practice and refined through extensive classroom experience. The session concludes with dedicated time for reflection and collaboration. Delegates will work in groups to adapt and design resources for their own teaching contexts, ensuring that ideas can be implemented immediately and effectively in the classroom.
White Rose Education is proud to sponsor the Primary Programme of the ASE 2027 Annual Conference
Created by teachers, mathematicians and scientists, White Rose Education is dedicated to helping every teacher become a world-class teacher.
White Rose Science takes the highly successful approach we pioneered with White Rose Maths and transfers it to the primary science curriculum. It uses a “small steps” approach to science teaching, and closely follows the national curriculum for science for years 1 - 6. It gives... Read More →
This session explores how to make primary science teaching engaging and relevant by connecting new learning to prior knowledge and building progression across key stages. It considers the importance of purposeful practical work, where activities have a clear learning focus and are explicitly linked to scientific concepts.
The session also explores how meaningful primary science can be hands-on, curiosity-driven and connected to real-world contexts and pupils’ experiences, helping children see science as relevant to their lives and the wider world.
* Explain what we mean by lesson preparation, and some key strategies that secure high participation in lessons (including Call and Response, Turn and Talk, mini-whiteboards) * Share our experiences embedding these in our own practice, and in establishing these across departments and schools * Facilitate discussion on how these practices might be applied in attendee's contexts
As a result of the session: * Teachers will have a new approach to lessons - preparation rather than planning * Teachers will have a good understanding of some high participation strategies that they can use in the classroom * Leaders and teacher developers will have advice and ideas for implementing these in their contexts
Background: Historically, the quality of teaching and learning (and in turn student outcomes) in science lagged behind other subjects in our MAT and the national picture for science. This led to a period of reflection and learning, drawing on works from the 'CogSciSci' network of authors and bloggers, the 'In Action' series of books and 'Teach Like A Champion'. One output of this was what we called a Framework for Good Science Teaching, which put checking for understanding as one of the 4 central pillars, and in particular the use of high participation strategies to ensure all students cognitively participate in the lessons. Beyond this, the whole purpose of the framework was to move colleagues away from 'lesson planning' - typically endless resource creation - to 'lesson preparation', where staff intellectually engage with the resources available to consider how to best use them with their students. We will talk about our experiences across the Trust, and within one specific school where this has had significant impact on students' understanding of science. We intend to support further learning on these strategies through online webinars and writings in ASE publications, for attendees to continue their professional development.
This hands-on workshop will feature two CLEAPSS primary practical activities, which offer opportunities to practise oracy skills. Through active participation attendees will start to appreciate how a range of strategies to support oracy can be incorporated into these and other practical activities.
All our activities use easily accessible resources and are developed with teachers and trialled in schools with children. You will leave with practical ideas and guidance to use in your own classroom and to share with your colleagues.
Participants will be able to reflection on how oracy strategies can be used in practical work and leave the session with experience of taking part in practical science activities.
Helen and Kathryn are both experienced primary school teachers who work for CLEAPSS as Primary Consultants, supporting schools to deliver safe and effective practical science activities. In addition to this, Helen and Kathryn work for a range of primary science organisations. Through their ongoing work in classrooms, Helen and Kathryn recognise the need for teachers to embed strategies that develop pupils’ oracy during science lessons.
Primary Science and Outdoor Learning Consultant, Spring Learning
I am a Primary Science and Outdoor Learning Consultant for Spring Learning and a Primary Consultant for CLEAPSS, as well as the author of 'Teaching Primary Science Outdoors'. I am the co-chair of the ASE's Primary Science Committee, a Primary Science Quality Mark hub leader and... Read More →
I am a Primary Consultant at CLEAPSS. CLEAPSS are the practical work people, promoting safe and effective practical work in schools and colleges that are teaching pupils from reception (age 4-5) up to age 18.
In addition to my work as a Primary Consultant for CLEAPSS, I am also a PSQM Professional Development Partner, a Lead Facilitator for STEM Learning, and chair of the ASE Yorkshire Regional Committee. In my role as an independent consultant and author, I have worked with a wide ran... Read More →
Founded in 1963, CLEAPSS supports safe, engaging, and innovative practical activities in science (as well as design & technology and art & design). We provide schools and college staff with expert advice, training, resources, and trusted guidance. Providing staff with access to CLEAPSS... Read More →
Every child deserves to see themselves and their cultures reflected in science. This interactive session offers a practical framework for doing that, without adding pressure to an already full curriculum. We'll introduce "two-eyed seeing" and share six dimensions of holistic science learning, then move quickly into short hands-on tasks. You'll sit briefly in a yarning-circle-inspired opener, try a story-to-science mapping using the emu life-cycle example, sketch a seasonal plan around a "class tree", audit a familiar lesson using nature-as-teacher prompts (symbiosis, hedgehog foraging, squirrels storing acorns), and rewrite a paragraph of planning language to shift from "resources" towards respect, reciprocity and responsibility. You'll leave with an A4 planning mat, a sensitivity checklist, and at least one concrete change you can make to next week's science lesson.
The aims of this session are to: •Explain the principle of ‘two-eyed seeing’ and why it strengthens primary science. •Explore six dimensions of holistic scientific literacy. •Participate in practical activities to showcase how six dimensions of scientific literacy can be embedded in the primary science curriculum. •Apply a simple cultural-sensitivity checklist when planning.
Outcomes: Participants will leave able to articulate two-eyed seeing to a colleague, integrate at least one Indigenous or local knowledge example into an existing science unit, apply a cultural-sensitivity checklist when planning, and use relational language that positions children as part of, not separate from, nature.
Background This session draws on our work at UCL and experience working in Jamaica, Singapore, The Gambia, Japan, Senegal and Australia, synthesised in our recent research in planetary-conscious pedagogy (Strachan & Markwick, 2025). It has been shaped by classroom practice, conversations with community knowledge holders, and research on science capital (Godec et al., 2017), storytelling in science (Salehjee, 2020; Fishman, 2020), and two-eyed seeing (Hatcher et al., 2009). We approach the examples with humility, acknowledging that all knowledge, including modern science, is interpreted through a cultural lens.
If you are a secondary teacher or science education consultant, come along to the "Meet the 11 to 19 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?
We look forward to listening to your questions and will endeavour to answer them!
If you are a primary science educator, come along to the "Meet the Primary 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 in Primary Science or one of the ASE journals?
We look forward to listening to your questions and will endeavour to answer them!
The Padlet for the Teachmeet is here: https://padlet.com/saraheamesscienceleader/ase-conf-saturday-10th-january-2026-primary-science-teach-me-ruozfsim8u6eq9lz
