Theory & Practice

Conducted by ImpactEd Group and commissioned by PSTT with The Ogden Trust and SEERIH (The University of Manchester), with support from the Comino Foundation, this report offers an updated picture of primary science teaching and leadership across the UK. Building on the Wellcome Trust’s 2017 baseline, it provides valuable insights for educators, school leaders and policymakers.

Drawing on a UK-wide survey and focus groups, the report highlights both progress and areas for development. More schools now have designated science leaders and regular science provision, yet gaps remain in teacher confidence and access to professional development. The findings emphasise the importance of strong leadership in ensuring high-quality science learning for all pupils.

Thinking Doing Talking Science is a research-based approach to teaching primary science. It is one of the sources of evidence for the Education Endowment Foundation’s 2023 Improving Primary Science guidance report. It is based on over 20 years of educational research and pulls together a range of established good practice.

An interactive Thinking, Doing, Talking Science training programme has been created for primary teachers. It equips them to successfully implement this approach in their classrooms, fostering creative and challenging science lessons that encourage all children to develop higher-order thinking skills. PSTT’s 2-day course is suitable for all teachers in key stage 1 and key stage 2 and is compatible with any curriculum or scheme of work

This framework is the outcome of the work carried by the Primary Curriculum Advisory Group (PCAG). This group was established by the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Biology, the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Association for Science Education (ASE) with a brief to produce advice and guidance about the future of the primary science curriculum.

Written by a group of experienced primary science educators, the Framework for a Future Primary Science Curriculum (2023) provides the basis for the design of a curriculum that is contemporary, cognitively appropriate and relevant for all children, and that lays the foundation for future learning in science. With equity and inclusion at its heart, it aims to ensure that all children can access and participate in science.