Primary Science Enhancement Award for Early Career Teachers

Information and resources for early career teachers taking part in the PSEA scheme

Welcome to the Primary Science Enhancement Award scheme for Career Teachers 2024-25

We are delighted that this scheme is being supported by The Ogden Trust.

We hope you enjoy taking part in the scheme and that you find that it is beneficial for your professional development in primary science education. This scheme is based on the Primary Science Teaching Trust’s scheme for initial teacher education. The students who have completed this scheme report increased confidence with planning, teaching and assessing science, a much greater awareness of where to find high quality supporting resources, and a fuller understanding of the role of the science subject leader. Click here to go to the webpage for the ITE version where you can view two videos of student teachers talking about their experiences of the scheme.

All the information and resources that you will need to take part in the scheme are on this page. If you have any questions, please deal directly with your facilitator from The Ogden Trust.

Here you will find a helpful document with step-by-step instructions for early career teachers on how to register for the PSEA Portal, including details on entering personal information and confirming registration. Once you’re ready, simply follow the registration link to get started.

This document provides step-by-step instructions for ECTs on how to log in to the PSEA ECT Portal, including guidance on email verification and secure access procedures.

Here you can download essential resources, including the Primary Science Enhancement Scheme (PSEA) handbook, as well as a portfolio exemplar.

 

This handbook is designed for both tutors running the award and the early career teachers taking part. It offers a comprehensive explanation of the scheme’s aims, principles, and expectations. It provides a detailed overview of the PSEA process, from start to completion, and includes clear instructions on how to complete the portfolio. Additionally, it offers guidance on accessing the portal, uploading required information, and submitting the completed portfolio.

 

This document is an anonymised portfolio from a previous applicant (assessed as meeting the standard) to give you a clear idea of the expectations for your own portfolio. Annotations have been added to support you to develop your own reflective writing and to construct a portfolio that demonstrates how your knowledge, skills, practice and attitudes have changed over the course of the PSEA scheme.

Choose an article from the Association for Science Education publication, Primary Science, that describes a particular strategy or approach. Try this with a group/class of children. Reflect on the outcomes, with reference to the article.

Teachers are encouraged to look for an article themselves; any article that presents an approach or strategy for teaching science can be chosen, and scheme tutors will be able to provide advice about whether or not a particular article would be suitable. Alternatively, the list of articles included here would be suitable for this task and are available to download.

Developing Talk in the Primary Classroom

Primary Science (2020) 1590, 12-16

This article outlines different techniques to develop talk and higher order thinking within science lessons including Odd One Out, What if…?, True or False, Cloze text, Ordering a text, and Meet the expert.

Big Books or Little Books

Primary Science (2020) 1590, 47-51

This article explains what floorbooks are and how using them to record children’s learning in science can support effective teacher assessment of practical science skills and conceptual understanding, and models the collaborative nature of science.

Moving a Wow to an Understanding: Demystifying Science

Primary Science (2019) 159, 9-13

This article discusses some of the possible pitfalls of commonly used wow moments in science such as making a volcano, making a larva lamp, squealing balloons, dancing raisins, and floating ping-pong balls. For each activity there are suggestions for how to ensure meaningful learning.

Could Using Frames Make Science More Accessible for Children with Special Learning Requirements?

Primary Science (2019) 159, 29-31

This article introduces the Frames for Focus approach (placing an object in the centre of a paper A3 frame and adding instructions in the corners). The benefits for children with special learning requirements are discussed.

Grab a Bucket, We're Taking Science Outdoors!

Primary Science (2020) 161, 33-35

This article describes Bucket School as an approach for exciting outdoor learning.

Learning about STEM Careers through Science and Drama

Primary Science (2020) 163, 14-16

This article explains how drama and role-play can provide a context for children’s learning in science and broaden their awareness of STEM careers.

Choose a free PSTT resource from the list below and try it with a group/class of children. Reflect on the learning outcomes and in particular on the questioning you used.

  • Why and How? Challenge from the PSTT Newsletters – practical science challenges that can be done with a small group or whole class.
  • An activity from Science for One – these use minimal easy to obtain resources. They were originally designed for doing practical science while maintaining social distancing but are equally good for collaborative enquiry.
  • An investigation from Starters for Science – these are short videos that introduce a science enquiry through a real world context. We suggest you choose from (1) Paper Towers, (4) Shadow Puppets, (5) Falling Paper, or (15) Making Music.
  • An activity from City Science Stars – Lesson ideas that are linked to football and to space (many can be done outside).
  • An activity from EYFS (Play, Observe & Ask) – Activities, strategies, provision and examples of children (3-5) learning science.
  • An activity or approach from ‘Inclusive approaches for Primary Science: a guidance booklet’ produced by Sheffield Hallam University following their curriculum development project, Primary Science for All.

Interview a science subject leader who has recently completed the Primary Science Quality Mark (PSQM) to find out how they identified the priorities for their school and the steps they undertook to address these.

It is expected that this activity will be carried out near the end of the programme after most or all of the other activities have been completed. Scheme tutors and PSTT will liaise with PSQM to make the arrangements for interviews which could be face to face or virtual. Interviews might also be done as a group where teachers work together to carry out the interview.

Teachers should choose at least 3 from the following:

d. Development of subject knowledge in one or more relevant areas (the following might be useful: Explorify activities – background knowledge sections of the teacher notes, ReachOut CPD)

e. Observation of a science specialist teaching a science lesson

f. Delivery of an extra-curricular activity, e.g. after school science club, family science event (the following might be useful: Science and STEM Club resources, Learning Science Together resources)

g. Presentation at a network meeting, conference or other science education event

h. Trial of a Teacher Assessment in Primary Science TAPS focused assessment task – see TAPS webpage

i. Writing of an article for publication – blog or journal

j. Trial of an Explorify activity with a group/class of children – see the Explorify website and watch the Explorify and the Primary Science Enhancement Award video

k. Critical review of a lesson plan/activity from a science scheme of work (free or commercial)

l. Engagement in other pedagogical development or action research activity – to be agreed with ITE tutor

 

The following documents are interesting and may help teachers decide which of the optional activities they wish to do.

Follow this link for some key primary science resources which will support you and your school when working with trainee teachers and early career teachers.

If you have questions, please visit our ECT Tutor FAQs page.

 

UPCOMING WEBINAR: 27 January 2025 at 4:15PM

Trialling of an Explorify Activity (Optional Activities)

Explore how the award-winning digital resource Explorify can support students and ECTs teaching science in the classroom. Join a free webinar to trial Explorify activities, gain tips for effective use, and complete two optional activities for the Primary Science Enhancement Award (PSEA). Participants who share their experiences in a follow-up session will receive a free PSTT book, with insights shared widely to benefit others.

Find out more and register here.

 

FIND OUT ALL ABOUT EXPLORIFY: (for Optional Activity j)

Watch the recorded session here. Passcode: =QkZY8%k

 

NEW VIDEO ADDED FOR OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

Interested in trialling an Explorify activity with a group or class of children for your portfolio? From hundreds of classroom activities to teacher-focussed planning support sessions, Explorify can help teachers introduce children to scientific thinking and talking. Learn how to get the most of Explorify in the Explorify and the Primary Science Enhancement Award video.

 

SUPPORT FOR EXPLORIFY

Find out more about how to use Explorify in this helpful read written especially for student and early career teachers.

 

OPPORTUNITY FROM THE OGDEN TRUST TO SUPPORT TEACHING OF ELECTRICITY: Developing pupils’ ideas about electricity in key stage 2 – Webinar (for Optional Activities d and l)

Taking place on:

10 December 3:30pm – 5pm

5 February 3:30pm – 5pm

Webinar is repeated – you only need to attend one.

In this session we will consider the progression of pupils’ ideas about electricity, exploring how each stage provides the foundations for the next stage of learning. You will learn about effective ways to teach physics concepts linked to electric circuits as well as how to identify and address common misconceptions. In addition to this we will explore how pupils working scientifically skills can be developed through the context of electricity through purposeful practical work.

Open to any trainees completing PSEA. Individual trainees should register here.

 

LEARN HOW TO WRITE FOR THE PRIMARY SCIENCE JOURNAL (for Optional activity i)

Thursday 5th December 3:45pm – 4:30pm

Come along and hear what Paul Tyler (Primary Science Editorial Board, Founder of My Science Club, Author of Topical Science) has to say about how to write an effective science journal article. This session promises to be really supportive and accessible. You will leave with a much clearer idea of how to approach writing an article ready for submission.

More information can be found here. The booking link can be accessed here.

 

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Enrich your portfolios by learning about the Equity Compass and new PSTT resources. Recordings and upcoming opportunities can be found on PSTT’s events page.