How can we teach primary science in ways that are both rigorous and genuinely meaningful?
This interactive session explores how cross-curricular topics such as energy, climate, and sustainability can be taught through enquiry-driven, real-world contexts. Grounded in the primary science curriculum, it demonstrates how linking to geographical understanding—such as rocks and soils, water systems, habitats, environments, and human impact—can strengthen, rather than dilute, disciplinary knowledge.
Participants will take part in a practical renewable energy investigation, modelling how pupils can ask questions, test ideas, and interpret results. The session also introduces free, adaptable resources and shows how they can be used to support substantive and disciplinary knowledge and skills.
We will also explore how initiatives like the Great Science Share for Schools and Practical Action projects can provide purpose and audience for pupil learning, raising engagement and science capital. You will leave with clear, classroom-ready approaches that combine strong science pedagogy with meaningful context—without increasing workload.
By the end of the session, participants will: • Explore enquiry-based science lessons using real-world energy and sustainability contexts • Apply strategies to support pupils in asking questions, investigating, and communicating findings • Integrate opportunities for purposeful talk to strengthen scientific reasoning • Be ready to implement at least one practical, evidence-informed strategy in their classroom
Background: This session draws on classroom practice and cross-curricular curriculum development, with a focus on improving how pupils engage with complex scientific ideas such as energy and climate. My work has been shaped by integrating science and geography to provide meaningful, real-world contexts that support both conceptual understanding and pupil motivation.
I have collated, developed and trialled classroom approaches where pupils ask their own questions, investigate renewable energy systems, and communicate their findings—leading to improved engagement, confidence, and scientific reasoning.
Primary Science Education Consultant, Dr Jo Science Solutions
RSC Excellence in Primary Education Prize 2024. With both a teaching and science background, Dr. Jo Montgomery has more than 20 years’ experience working with children and schools to support science education from Early Years to university. Passionate about encouraging curiosity... Read More →
Join us for a thought provoking and hands-on session where we’ll provide stimulus to consider your curriculum enrichment provision, barriers and solutions to equity of opportunity for all We’ll share reflective tools, identify local and national enrichment opportunities and resources to make the connection between core curriculum content and nurturing curiosity of your learners. This session is built on exploration beyond the core curriculum but with scientific rigour intact.
Outcomes: • Reflect on your own context and enrichment offer • Made connections between core curriculum and enrichment opportunities for all • Considered ways to build on your current enrichment activities in school • Take away ideas and resources for use immediately including a gap analysis tool and a curriculum map
Background: Our experience of listening and working with teachers tells us that curriculum pressures continue to be relentless and time for teaching science in the core curriculum is already under pressure in many primary classrooms. We know teachers plan and deliver great core lessons, they inspire their learners to be curious about the world around them but do they ever really get the chance to nurture that curiosity?
Research tells us that enrichment opportunities are vital for providing space for learners to explore their interests in a less structured environment.
With so many years of experience running clubs, My Science Club was founded on the basis of creating a space for children’s curiosity to be fostered and grow whilst supporting the educator at the same time. This remains our passion and with a new curriculum in England and Scotland on the horizon, we have a moment to consider what we currently have whilst building for the future. In that moment sit our children in schools right now – they can’t wait for us to tread water getting to grips with new curricula, they need equity of opportunity right now before they leave primary or lose that curiosity and interest.
Our experience and knowledge as nationally accredited trainers of the Primary Science Capital Teaching Approach (PSCTA) has fuelled our passion for equity of access to enrichment activities and not just for the privileged few.
Primary Science Professional Development Leader, Primary Science Geeks
I have been delivering high quality professional development for leaders, classroom practitioners, trainees and ECTs for over 20 years. I am a Chartered Science Teacher (CSciTeach) and have been involved with ASE for many years, most recently as curriculum drafter for the new National... Read More →
Research provides a means for exploring teaching and learning in classrooms and other contexts, with some studies suggesting new ways of working. Every year many science education Masters, PhD and EdD students develop an expertise in a specific area of science education which can provide useful insights into how science works in the classroom. Come along to this session to hear a range of findings arising from a number of these studies and join in discussions for those that interest you.
Join us to explore new CLEAPSS practical science activities for 4 and 5 year-olds, and how they can be used to strengthen communication and language through purposeful, hands-on learning in Reception classrooms.
Participants will engage with hands-on, developmentally appropriate activities for Reception, alongside strategies for developing scientific vocabulary and supporting early scientific thinking.
Participants will leave with age-appropriate science activities that are ready to use in their settings tomorrow, alongside the knowledge of how to use them to insure meaningful impact.
Outcomes: Participants will be able to ask appropriate questions to prompt scientific thinking and talking with young children, and will be able to set up meaningful practical activities for 4-5 year olds that will strengthen children’s scientific thinking and use of vocabulary.
CLEAPSS has recently expanded its support to include Reception-aged children in response to growing demand from both primary science leaders and Reception practitioners, evidenced through increased enquiries to the CLEAPSS helpline. This session is built around brand new practical science activities developed and trialled in Reception classrooms by CLEAPSS’ Reception consultant, Kathryn Horan. The activities have been written to facilitate scientific language development with very young children, providing guidance on what questions to ask, what possible learning foci might be and what outcomes might look like.
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 →
This session will present the design, implementation, and findings of a three year research and improvement project focused on raising the quality of science teaching and learning in high deprivation settings.
We worked with 32 primary schools to explore what improves science teaching — and what holds it back. You’ll hear how schools used science audits, teacher surveys, targeted CPD, and network meetings to build teacher confidence and strengthen classroom practice. We’ll share what changed, what teachers valued most, and how high-quality CPD helped schools understand their challenges and make improvements.
We’ll also discuss the real world barriers schools face — including high subject leader turnover — and what helped them keep making progress.
Participants will gain: • Evidence of impact, including clear improvements in teacher confidence, positive shifts in science teaching practice and excellent participant feedback on CPD quality • Insights into systemic challenges, particularly: - High turnover of science subject leaders and its effect on continuity - Practical strategies for supporting science subject leaders in high deprivation contexts - An approach for using deprivation related data to understand school needs and tailor support - Recommendations for sustaining improvement, even in schools with leadership instability
Background: Primary science teaching provision gaps in England remain strongly linked to socioeconomic deprivation. Schools serving communities with high levels of disadvantage often face additional barriers: limited departmental stability, fewer opportunities for sustained professional development and sometimes significant behavioural challenges.
This project worked with 32 schools across three ‘priority’ areas in the south-east of England (Edmonton, Medway and the North Thames Estuary) to understand their specific needs and to trial targeted support. The initiative combined school level diagnostic audits, teacher surveys, structured CPD, mentoring and ongoing collaboration through network meetings. The aim was to build capacity, strengthen subject leadership, and improve the quality of science teaching in a way that is responsive to each school’s context.
CPD and support was delivered across schools by Kulvinder Johal, Primary Science Mentor for the Primary Science Teaching Trust. Content was created by drawing on years of experience working in the classroom, backed up by research and findings on good primary science teaching in the sector.
Join us to unpick the headline changes and what is already working in your setting.
This masterclass is aimed at primary subject and cross phase leaders, curriculum developers in schools MATS and trusts.
You are encouraged to bring your current primary science long-term plan to reflect on what will be needed to be ready to teach this new curriculum in September 2028 Leave feeling confident and with a plan of action for the next 12 months
As a result of attending this session, you will be able to:
Create a personal timeline of planned actions for readiness to teach the new primary science curriculum in 2028
Identify changes needed to your long-term planning and resources
Consider subject knowledge and CPD implications for science leaders and teachers of science at your school
Primary Science Professional Development Leader, Primary Science Geeks
I have been delivering high quality professional development for leaders, classroom practitioners, trainees and ECTs for over 20 years. I am a Chartered Science Teacher (CSciTeach) and have been involved with ASE for many years, most recently as curriculum drafter for the new National... Read More →
Associate Professor; Primary Science Course Lead; Ex Co-Chair of ASE (23/24), St Mary's University, Twickenham
I am Associate Professor and Primary Science Lead for the Initial Teacher Education programmes at St Mary’s University, Twickenham. As a member of the Primary Science Curriculum Advisory Group (PCAG) I was involved in producing the Framework for a Future Primary Science Curriculum... Read More →
We've all seen it: the student who can't focus for ten minutes in class will happily watch twenty or thirty science videos in a row on their phones.
Online science education has grown into a high-quality, mainstream part of how young people learn, sitting alongside the classroom rather than at its edges, and the best creators are now among the most influential science educators in the country. So what do they know that those in the classroom can borrow?
This session, chaired by Dave Allen, brings together some of the most successful science educators working on YouTube, TikTok and beyond for an open Q&A. Ask them how they grab and hold attention, turn a tricky topic into something memorable, and keep the science accurate under the pressure of the feed. It's a practical, honest conversation about the craft of engagement, the quality of learning that online education can deliver, and what genuinely transfers from a phone screen to a classroom.
I am Teacher of Innovation at Kelvinside Academy, a STEM educator and creator of STEM with Mr N, through which I have created hundreds of freely available STEM education videos and resources for teachers, children and families. Having spent most of my career as a primary classroom... Read More →
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 →
Research provides a means for exploring teaching and learning in classrooms and other contexts, with some studies suggesting new ways of working. Every year many science education Masters, PhD and EdD students develop an expertise in a specific area of science education which can provide useful insights into how science works in the classroom. Come along to this session to hear a range of findings arising from a number of these studies and join in discussions for those that interest you.
Is Generative AI fair for all science learners? The Department for Education names supporting personalised learning as a use case for generative AI in education, while warning that generative AI content can be inaccurate, biased or out of context. Science teachers carry responsibility for managing diversity, equity, inclusion and supporting identity formation in their classrooms. Generative AI is now sits inside that responsibility, often invisibly, as it infers things about students from their names, work, vocabulary and interests.
This accessible session widens the conversation from bias to fairness, looking at how generative AI shapes aspects such as cognitive challenge, assessment, the language and the framing different students encounter in their science learning. Building on research presented at ASE in 2026 (Hedlund, 2025) and on ongoing work into bias and fairness through names and assessment, the session turns research into practical guidance for science classrooms across all phases.
The session is built around being the informed human in the science learning loop. You will explore what to watch for, the quick wins that improve fairness, the mitigated prompts and processes that change what generative AI gives to your students, and how to model critical generative AI use to the students you teach. The session is pitched for a range of confidence levels with generative AI, and is grounded throughout in the realities of the science classroom.
Outcomes
Delegates will be able to: • Recognise when generative AI is inferring student identity and changing science output as a result. • Use specific strategies, prompts and processes that support fair generative AI use in their classroom. • Model critical generative AI use to their students as part of wider digital literacy in the new Curriculum. • Discuss the fairness implications of generative AI in science learning with colleagues, leaders and students.
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 explores how inquiry-based learning (IBL) in primary science can move beyond procedural or “pseudo” inquiry towards authentic inquiry where children genuinely hold epistemic authority within the classroom.
Drawing on an ongoing PhD study at the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education alongside practical classroom implementation using White Rose Science resources, the session will examine the relationship between teacher identity, working scientifically and pupil voice in primary science.
Recent national conversations have highlighted that while substantive knowledge is increasingly secure, disciplinary knowledge and authentic scientific inquiry remain underdeveloped. In many classrooms, children are still receiving science rather than actively doing science. This session argues that the challenge is not simply a lack of resources or curriculum structure, but a teacher identity issue.
The session will share findings from collaborative Lesson Study cycles conducted in a Year 4 classroom with a high proportion of EAL learners. The research focuses on how teachers interpret classroom moments such as silence, misconceptions, uncertainty and pupil struggle, and how those interpretations shape whether pupils are positioned as passive recipients of knowledge or active participants in scientific meaning-making.
Participants will explore the distinction between transmission teaching, pseudo-IBL and authentic IBL, considering how subtle teacher responses can either open or close epistemic space for children. Practical examples from science lessons will demonstrate how small shifts in teacher behaviour, such as allowing productive silence, redirecting questions back to pupils and encouraging peer-to-peer scientific discussion, can significantly increase student voice and disciplinary engagement while still working within existing curriculum structures.
Practical examples from a Year 4 science classroom will illustrate a clear inquiry-based lesson structure centred on recurring working scientifically skills. Lessons begin with recap activities and image stimuli that encourage children to notice, wonder and connect prior knowledge. Throughout the lesson, pupils repeatedly apply the same scientific skill in different contexts while teachers observe carefully for misconceptions, uncertainty and participation, using these observations to shape shared anchor charts and individual science journal entries. Exit passes are then used to assess developing understanding.
The session argues that this approach depends on teachers being confident in holding epistemic space for pupils, a confidence developed through collaborative Lesson Study and identity-focused professional reflection. Delegates will leave with practical, manageable strategies for collaborative planning, observation and reflection that can be implemented immediately in classrooms and schools.
Whilst this session is proposed by White Rose Education, this session is not promoting White Rose Science, and is focussing on the PhD research. This is not a funded initiative. The PhD researcher is a WRS customer and we are supporting him in his research.
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 practical workshop will support teachers in taking their primary science lessons outdoors.
• To consider which lesson objectives should be taught outdoors, and which lesson objectives could be taught outdoors • To plan purposeful practical activities • To explore opportunities for assessment and recording outdoors
Helen Spring CSciTeach is a Primary Science and Outdoor Learning Consultant. With a wealth of experience as a teacher and science subject leader, Helen specialises in primary science and outdoor learning. She is the author of the book, 'Teaching Primary Science Outdoors'. Helen's expertise lies in supporting primary science subject leaders and teachers, assisting them in enhancing the quality of their teaching and learning.
This practical workshop will support teachers in taking their primary science lessons outdoors. We will explore which lessons should be taught outdoors, and which lessons could be taught outdoors. We will spend time looking at how to plan for effective outdoor science lessons, where children make progress, and where teachers have the opportunity to assess that progress.
Participants will be able to reflect on their own science teaching, and to plan further opportunities for taking their science lessons outdoors.
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 →
This session explores why evidence-based approaches are essential for creating high-quality primary science lessons that are effective and meaningful for all learners.
It introduces research-informed approaches such as Best Evidence Science Teaching (BEST) for primary-aged children, demonstrating how evidence can be translated into practical strategies to diagnose misconceptions, sequence learning and use formative assessment to build secure scientific understanding.
The session also introduces BEST Bites, new CPD modules designed to support teachers in developing learners’ understanding of key scientific ideas and easing transition from primary to secondary science.
Inquiry-based learning is difficult to put into practice when we are teaching scientific content that is well-known and indisputable. If teachers already have the correct answers, why should students bother trying to find them out for themselves? Drawing from the history of science can help us find interesting questions that today’s mainstream science does not address and does not have ready answers to. I will illustrate this through examples taken from my previous and current work, including the anomalous boiling of water and the puzzle over the workings of the Voltaic battery. Taking inspiration from John Dewey, I focus on the experience of student. How can we help students have a true experience of science, both in experiencing natural phenomena and experiencing scientific inquiry? Dealing with phenomena that deviate from textbook descriptions can allow students to experience nature truly for themselves. Puzzling over how to make sense of such phenomena can give them the experience of actual scientific inquiry.
My discussion in this talk is part of a general attempt to enhance the interaction between science education and the history and philosophy of science (HPS). Despite great efforts by Michael Matthews, Douglas Allchin and others, HPS remains on the fringes of science education, and science education is not a major concern in mainstream HPS. This is a lamentable situation. On the side of philosophy of science, there is obvious potential for engagement with the teaching of the nature of science. From the history of science, I think the most promising contribution is to help students (and teachers) realise that respected past scientists have investigated nature in different ways from what we are now accustomed to, and that there is value in revisiting these alternative approaches.
Professor, Dept of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge
Hasok Chang is the Hans Rausing Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge. He received his degrees from Caltech and Stanford, and has taught at University College London.
He is the author of Inventing Temperature: Measurement and Scientific Pro... Read More →
This interactive workshop will give you a grounded, practical exploration of how AI can support workload reduction without creating additional stress, unrealistic expectations, or dependence on technology.
You will explore real examples of where AI can save time, including planning support, summarising information, drafting routine communications, adapting content for different audiences, generating starting points for resources, and reducing repetitive administrative tasks. Through discussion and short practical activities, you will consider how to evaluate when AI is genuinely useful, when it may be inefficient, and where caution is needed.
A key focus will be on critical use rather than blind adoption. You will consider issues such as accuracy, bias, safeguarding, privacy, and the importance of maintaining professional oversight.
Designed for educators and professionals who are curious about AI but want realistic, manageable approaches rather than technical deep dives or exaggerated claims, this session will leave you with practical ideas, increased confidence, and a clearer understanding of how AI can support, but not replace professional expertise.
Following this session, participants hopefully will be able to:
* Identify appropriate tasks where AI may reduce workload effectively. * Critically evaluate whether AI is the right tool for a specific task. * Apply simple AI-supported strategies to improve efficiency in planning, communication, and organisation. * Recognise common risks and limitations when using AI in professional settings. * Use AI more intentionally, ethically, and with clearer professional boundaries. * Trial at least one realistic AI workflow within their own practice.
PGCE Course Science Lead, Warwick University Centre for Teacher Education
Having been a physics teacher and Head of Department for over a decade, I am now Physics PGCE lead and a teaching fellow at the Centre for Teacher Education at the University of Warwick. I also take on freelance work and have supported OUP with the Kerboodle resources for the new... Read More →
The aim of this session is to support teachers in applying a decolonial lens to their primary science teaching practice. It will encourage participants to explore parallel ways of knowing and to acknowledge how colonial legacies continue to shape our current education systems. We will demonstrate how to link historical and indigenous epistemologies to Western understanding and applications of science and suggest how these ideas can be taught concurrently.
Concrete classroom and whole‑school examples of this approach will be shared, alongside discussion of their impact on children’s attitudes, beliefs and engagement with science. In addition, the session will disseminate evidence from our research into the use of generative artificial intelligence in identifying and producing resources to support teaching through a decolonial lens.
We will start with an introduction for the need to decolonise the primary science curriculum and an overview of what this entails, and discuss tried and tested classroom and whole‑school examples. We will also include a review of research into how GenAI can be used to source specific materials for this approach and offer delegates an opportunity to trial GenAI prompts to source materials, ending with a brief Q&A.
Associate Professor; Primary Science Course Lead; Ex Co-Chair of ASE (23/24), St Mary's University, Twickenham
I am Associate Professor and Primary Science Lead for the Initial Teacher Education programmes at St Mary’s University, Twickenham. As a member of the Primary Science Curriculum Advisory Group (PCAG) I was involved in producing the Framework for a Future Primary Science Curriculum... Read More →
This venue has been made available for primary science educators to get together and network during their scheduled lunch break.
Pop-up make and take will take place in the same space in the session following lunch at 13.35 - but it's a big room, so there's sufficient space and interest for both elements!
Grab your lunch and come along for some networking and informal chatting.
The Padlet for the Teachmeet is here: https://padlet.com/saraheamesscienceleader/ase-conf-saturday-10th-january-2026-primary-science-teach-me-ruozfsim8u6eq9lz
I have explored Mars with the Curiosity Rover, orbiters and Martian meteorites.
This talks summarises how we have reached a new understanding about the evolution of Mars and its Habitable, ‘Warm and Wet’ ancient past, and how we plan to continue exploring Mars with new missions – robotic and human.
Join us to relax and unwind during lunchtime at the ASE Annual Conference. Enjoy three stunning short films showcasing fascinating wildlife and their ecosystems.
‘The Caretakers’ is a journey into the weird, wonderful and truly astonishing lives of the small yet mighty creatures who keep the world turning – beetles. They have been successful for millions of years, but they’re in serious trouble; what does the future hold for these incredibly important animals, and for us if they disappear? 21 minutes. Director – Tom Hanner
‘Creatures of the Kaleidoscope’ Explore one of natures most magical creatures, the Cuttlefish. Embark on a mesmerising journey of nature’s living kaleidoscopes. Follow these elusive creatures as this documentary delves deep into the extraordinary lives of these remarkable cephalopods, see their unique abilities as they morph into a stunning array of colours and shapes in a blink of an eye. Witness the incredible transformation from vulnerable prey to cunning predators, navigating the vast oceans ever changing surroundings and dangers. 18 minutes. Director – Hannah Jodie Alexander
‘Fascinating World of Wood Ants’ This film visualizes the lifecycle of Wood Ants and emphasizes their vital ecological role in the ecosystem. It showcases their journey, social dynamics, and ecological contributions, highlighting the importance of preserving their habitats in the face of environmental challenges. 11 minutes. Director – Siddique Salim Khan
These short films are kindly made available for viewing at ASE’s Annual Conference through ASE’s long-standing collaboration with the Museo de Ciencias of the Universidad de Navarra.
Are your students working in groups but not truly thinking together?
In this session, we will explore how strategies such as purposeful oracy games can transform the quality of talk and argumentation in your science classroom. You will be introduced to a simple, repeatable structure that moves students beyond mere prediction to explaining their reasoning, observing with purpose, and reconciling their ideas with evidence. Rather than seeing/dialogue/ as an "extra," you will learn how to weave it into the fabric of your lessons, creating rich, productive environments where good talk becomes a habit.
We will discuss the small, manageable changes you can make to your everyday practice; from a short starter activity to a more extended investigation, that can have a transformative impact on student thinking, engagement, and scientific literacy.
We will also provide practical examples and a framework for designing these sequences, so they are easy to implement and highly effective.
Step into a hands-on marketplace of science educators sharing ideas, where every stall offers a quick, practical science enquiry you can build, trial, and take straight back to your classroom.
From clever investigations using everyday materials to simple models that spark big thinking, each activity is designed to be low-cost, high-impact, and rooted in working scientifically.
Dip in and out, follow your curiosity, and leave not just inspired, but equipped with ready-to-use resources, fresh enquiry ideas, and the confidence to recreate the experience with your pupils.
The Padlet for the Teachmeet is here: https://padlet.com/saraheamesscienceleader/ase-conf-saturday-10th-january-2026-primary-science-teach-me-ruozfsim8u6eq9lz
With the recent changes to the National Curriculum following the Curriculum and Assessment Review, schools and subject leads are under pressure to redevelop their local curricula. However, what sort of autonomy do we have over the curriculum that we produce and is it developed with the local context in mind.
This session will provide some insights for teachers or subject leaders across any phase of school about how policy can influence the way we develop our local curriculum.
Additionally, we will aim to provoke discussions around how to avoid "policy pitfalls". Finally, as co-chairs of the policy group we would welcome your thoughts around how the Policy Group should develop work around curriculum to advocate for ASE members.
Generative AI produced images are quickly becoming part of how primary teachers prepare and run lessons, but how do we know if these images are scientifically sound? In this session we share findings from our research showing how generative AI can both reinforce known misconceptions and introduce new ones, particularly when teachers ‘personalise’ content for their pupils, which is a specified use case by the DfE for Generative AI use in education.
During the session you'll see worked examples from common primary science topics. You'll then have the chance to generate, examine and discuss images with other delegates, with prepared images available if you don't have a device.
The session is pitched for a range of confidence levels with AI, including those just starting out, while respecting that many primary colleagues already have significant generative AI expertise. You'll leave with a framework and checklist to evaluate generative AI produced images for misconceptions, plus prompt strategies to improve the science quality of what you (and your pupils) create.
Delegates will be able to: • Recognise common misconceptions reinforced or introduced by generative AI produced primary science images. • Use a clear framework and checklist to appraise generative AI visuals before using them in lessons. • Apply prompting strategies that reduce the risk of misconception-rich outputs. • Confidently discuss generative AI image quality with colleagues and pupils as part of wider digital literacy.
Background: Helen Harden, former chemistry lead on the University of York's BEST project and chemistry curriculum consultant, brings extensive expertise in primary and secondary science misconceptions. Victoria Hedlund, founder of GenEd Labs and contributor to the DfE and Chartered College's Safe and Effective Use of Generative AI in Education guidance, brings critical oversight of generative AI in classroom use. Our shared interest in this area is set out in our article “Looking deeper into AI-generated visual explanations” to be published in the July 2026 edition of SSR with a primary-focused article planned for ASE’s Primary Science journal. This forms the precursor to a larger ongoing research project.
Gardens and other ecosystems depend on pollinators, including bees. As the number of bees and other insects are declining at alarming rates worldwide (e.g., The number of recorded flying insects in the UK fell by 62.5% between 2021 and 2024 [Ball et al., 2024]; Australia is losing up to three species of native insects and other terrestrial invertebrates to extinction every week [Woinarski et al., 2024]), one in four native bee species faces extinction (Kopek & Burd, 2017). Since two-thirds of crops depend on insect pollination, these declines pose serious threats to food security and biodiversity (Feuerbacher et al., 2025).
Teachers can raise awareness of these issues and engage students with pollinators through GBL, which creates a context where students can experience and explore nature, and it offers many benefits to students (e.g., increased physical, cognitive, social-emotional, and self-care skills) (Taşçı & Keleş, 2021). As a matter of ecojustice, GBL also provides equitable access to green spaces, particularly for students from underserved communities (Authors, 2026; Schönfelder & Bogner, 2018; Taşçı & Keleş, 2021).
This presentation will showcase a new K-12 STEAM garden-based learning (GBL) curriculum that focuses on biodiversity and sustainability and was co-developed by an interdisciplinary team of classroom teachers, STEM education researchers, and scientists. We will disseminate evidence of the curriculum’s efficacy from our research with teachers and students. There will be space for questions and answers towards the end of the session.
This presentation involves sharing a new STEAM GBL curriculum with support materials and research results on the efficacy of implementation.
Outcomes: Participants will learn about and explore free, online resources that integrate social and emotional learning through the 3-H learning model (Hearts-on, Hands-on, Heads-on). Resources include 135 integrated K-12 STEAM GBL lessons, recommended children’s literature and reference books, 24 teacher and family resource sheets for sustainable gardens, citizen science projects, and 18 STEM career videos. A limited number of native bee colouring books will be available to the first arriving attendees, with online access for all participants.
Background: As a science educator and researcher with more than 40 years of experience in science education leadership, including 10 years of public-school teaching, I have led 4 transdisciplinary teams in developing curricula for K-12 students and PreK teachers, including work with National Geographic, Primrose Schools, the Ohio Department of Education, and USDA-NIFA. This session will focus on our most recent project.
This session draws on decades of research on formative assessment (including Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam’s work) focused on uncovering and using students’ ideas as the foundation for instruction. The approach has evolved through classroom practice that combines research on conceptual understanding, disciplinary literacy, and productive science discussion. Story probes were developed combine the engagement of narrative with the instructional power of formative assessment.
Stories naturally engage learners, spark curiosity, and invite discussion. In this interactive session, participants will explore how story probes can be used to connect science learning, literacy practices, and formative assessment. Through carefully crafted story scenarios, students encounter characters expressing different ideas about a scientific phenomenon or concept. These scenarios encourage learners to analyse characters’ perspectives, and share their own ideas in a low-risk and engaging context.
Participants will experience how story probes can be used to uncover children’s thinking about science while supporting close reading strategies by interpreting meaning from text. Attention will be given to how teachers can listen for children's ideas, use those ideas to inform instruction, and create classrooms where thinking, questioning, and sensemaking are valued. Participants will leave with practical strategies for developing and integrating story probes into science instruction in ways that strengthen both conceptual understanding and literacy skills. They will also be provided with a link to access and download sample story probes.
These story probes are based on extensive formative assessment research and practice from both the UK and the US. Page Keeley’s probes in the Uncovering Student Ideas series published in the U.S. are used extensively in schools throughout the U.S.; and, in collaboration with Ed Walsh, have been adapted by Millgate for a UK audience.
As a result of attending this session, participants will be able to: 1) Facilitate close reading and productive science talk around science scenarios. 2) Use a story scenario to identify and interpret students’ ideas revealed through story-based discussions 3) Apply formative assessment strategies that use student thinking to inform instruction. 4) Adapt or create story scenarios that integrate science content with literacy practices
Past President/NSTA Press Author, National Science Teaching Association
Page Keeley is an American science education consultant and author of over 25 books linking research to practice, including several award-winning books in the Uncovering Student Ideas in Science formative assessment series. She is a co-author, with Ed Walsh, of the UK publication, Understanding Children's Ideas in Science. She works with school districts, universities, and organizations throughout the U.S. and internationally to build capacity for understanding student thinking through assessment... Read More →
An author and CPD presenter, I was a teacher for 20 years, 12 of them as team leader. I then worked as a consultant, supporting teachers and science teams, training teachers and developing curriculum materials. I am now a Series Editor for Collins, CPD Trainer for AQA and Development... Read More →
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 KS3 and KS4 plus transition from KS2 and KS1.
Please note the other sessions in the conference programme, on KS1 and KS2, and on biology, chemistry and physics at KS3 and KS4.
Head of Education Policy, Royal Society of Biology
Lauren joined the Royal Society of Biology as Head of Education Policy in July 2017. Previously she has worked on gender projects, including Opening Doors, and higher education projects as part of the education team at the Institute of Physics, and as a science teacher in North L... Read More →
The biennial Science on Stage Festival took place in Klaipeda, Lithuania in May 2026.
The Science on Stage Festival brings together hundreds of teachers from across Europe and beyond to share and innovate strategies for teaching science at all levels, from early years through primary to secondary. In this session, members of the Science on Stage delegation which represented the UK at the Festival will describe and demonstrate some of the best bits from Klaipeda.
This session is being co-ordinated and chaired by Stuart Farmer, Chair of the Science on Stage UK National Steering Committee, along with some of those representing the UK in Klaipeda.
Learning and Skills Manager, IOP and Perimeter Institute
I was a teacher of physics in Scotland for over 30 years before becoming the Scottish Education Manager for IOP in February 2019. Throughout this time I have been active in curriculum and assessment development and providing professional learning for teachers. I am a former Chair... Read More →
Physics teacher and Lead Practitioner Teaching and Learning, The Priory School Hitchin
Over the last few years whilst working as a physics teacher Simon has created sets of ideas for teaching physics organised by topic area which are shared freely on a Creative Commons non-commercial licence via the www.teachphysics.org website. The aim has been to bring together practical... Read More →
This session focuses on a 5 year research and development project SCIENCE NINJAS that CLEAPSS and King's College London undertook with teachers in primary schools. It will chart the developmental journey we took in framing and adapting the professional learning work that we undertook with primary teachers, across KS1&2, as they explored and experimented with both increasing the amount of practical activities they did with their classes and how they focused in on the teaching and assessment decisions they needed to take to support science learning through practical work.
This project was built on a collaborative approach with classroom teachers, CLEAPSS teacher educators and researchers from King's. Each of these groups has benefitted greatly in their knowledge, understanding and skills required to ensure practical activities in primary not only engage children but help them learn science. In our talk we will report on how science NINJA leads from the research schools have perceived the impact of the project on their children, their teachers and themselves and what they have found beneficial and tricky in steering the professional learning during this project.
This will be topped with reflections from the CLEAPSS and King's team. So come along and have a taste; we promise their will be delights as well as treats to take back to your own classroom or share with interested colleagues.
Professor of Science Education, King’s College London
Researcher keen to work at classroom level. Teacher educator. Research interest: Assessment and especially Assessment for Learning. Inquiry in science/experimental science. Professional Learning and practice-based evidence. Big, big ASE enthusiast!!
Participants will experience a series of short science-learning episodes designed to model how prediction and the five CASE pillars can foster effective scientific argumentation. Through carefully structured dialogic activities, participants will discuss scientific contexts, make and justify predictions, evaluate competing explanations and reflect on the pedagogical moves that support productive classroom talk.
The session will briefly introduce the theoretical foundations of CASE and the role of prediction in generating cognitive conflict and conceptual engagement. Participants will then work collaboratively through classroom examples that demonstrate how prediction tasks can stimulate reasoning, evidence-based discussion and metacognitive reflection.
Throughout the session, participants will analyse how teacher questioning, social interaction and task design contribute to an environment where scientific argumentation can flourish. Time will also be provided for reflection and action planning so participants can consider how these approaches could transfer to their own contexts.
Background: Scientific argumentation is increasingly regaining recognition as central to high-quality science education, yet many classrooms still struggle to move beyond short-answer recall or teacher-led questioning. This workshop explores how prediction, when deliberately integrated within the CASE framework, can help create conditions in which students are more willing to articulate, defend and reconsider their thinking. The conditions that researchers such as Osborne, Kuhn and Erduran have insisted are necessary for successful argumentation will be explored in relation to the CASE pedagogy.
The way that eliciting predictions and explanations creates a classroom culture for dialogic teaching to flourish will be demonstrated throughout the presentation. The presenter has developed and refined approaches that combine the established CASE pillars with explicit prediction routines to encourage deeper reasoning and richer pupil talk. The session is informed by research into cognitive conflict, social construction of understanding and the role of exploratory discussion in science education.
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 →
