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Journal of Emergent Science

The Primary Science Teaching Trust is in partnership with the ASE to produce the Journal of Emergent Science.

The Journal of Emergent Science (JES) has a research focus on primary aged learners and we see it as a pivotal step in supporting and promoting research amongst practising teachers

By having open access to JES, teachers will be able to access evidence-based research that will inform their teaching practices. We would like to welcome Dr. Sarah Earle as the new editor from September 2020.

Key features of the journal:

child-centred;
focuses on scientific development of children from birth to 11 years of age whilst considering the transitions from one stage to the next;
contains easily accessible yet rigorous support for the development of professional skills;
focuses on effective early years science practice and leadership;
considers the implications of research into emergent science practice and provision;
contains exemplars of good learning and development firmly based in good practice;
supports analysis and evaluation of professional practice.

The JES welcomes contributions from its audience of early years practitioners, primary school teachers, teacher educators and researchers. For more information about contributing to the Journal of Emergent Science, please see our submission guidelines: Contributing to JES

JES issue 28 cover with a young child being helped by an adult to use a microscope

April 2025

Journal of Emergent Science - 28

Includes research on Children Challenging Industry, outdoor learning, and mixed-age primary science.

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JES issue 27 cover of two primary children observing parts of a flower with their teacher in the classroom

November 2024

Journal of Emergent Science - 27

Featuring articles on engaging families with story-based science, collaborative strategies for easing the primary-to-secondary transition and more.

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JES issue 26 cover of primary children observing vegetables in the classroom

January 2024

Journal of Emergent Science - 26

The EEF released a guidance report with six recommendations for improving primary science.

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JES issue 25 cover of a primary child in the classroom

June 2023

Journal of Emergent Science - 25

This issue's articles explore science education across age groups, from early childhood to primary and secondary students collaborating with teachers.

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JES issue 24 cover of two primary children engaged in practical science learning

January 2023

Journal of Emergent Science - 24

Building on the previous issue's sustainability theme, this issue includes two further articles on the topic.

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JES issue 23 cover of three upper primary children engaged in science learning

June 2022

Journal of Emergent Science - 23

This is a special issue on the theme of sustainability.

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JES issue 22 cover of primary children reading with their teacher

January 2022

Journal of Emergent Science - 22

This issue features three pieces of original research, covering topics including balancing play and science learning.

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JES issue 21 cover of three primary children engaged in outdoor learning

June 2021

Journal of Emergent Science - 21

This issue aims to support the involvement of non-academics in the world of research via three main ways.

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JES issue 20 cover of two primary children using Explorify on their classroom's interactive board

January 2021

Journal of Emergent Science - 20

This issue aims to unite research across early years and primary education, supporting science educators working with children from birth to age 11.

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Journal of Emergent Science - 19

This edition of JES was prepared in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and includes a number of papers produced before the crisis.

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Journal of Emergent Science - 18

This special issue of JES is brought to you by the Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT), to celebrate the success of their second international Pr...

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Journal of Emergent Science - 17

The latest issue of this open access journal features a range of articles covering research in primary education, both from a researcher and a prac...

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Journal of Emergent Science - 16

This issue of JES features four more abstracts from the 2017 ESERA Conference.

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Journal of Emergent Science - 15

This issue of JES features three pieces of original research, covering topics including balancing play and science learning.

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Journal of Emergent Science - 14

In issue 14 of this open access journal, Pedreira and Márquez present an interesting paper examining a specific analysis of activities, Can I touch?

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Journal of Emergent Science - 13

The feature articles in this issue explore the provision for scientific enquiry in primary schools, teachers’ perceptions.

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Journal of Emergent Science - 12

This special edition features the outcomes of the 2016 Primary Science Teaching Trust Primary Science Conference.

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Journal of Emergent Science - 11

In this edition of JES, we have included a number of research articles, a proposal for collaborative research.

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Journal of Emergent Science - 10

In this issue, one contribution discusses briefly how research can help teachers to elicit the developing concepts of learners and build further in...

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Journal of Emergent Science - 8

This issue's main article investigates how Children discover the world surrounding them from very early childhood.

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Journal of Emergent Science - 7

This issue's main article investigates using drama techniques when teaching science in the early years.

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Journal of Emergent Science - 6

This issue looks at pedagogical approaches to the development of predictions and hypotheses in Early Years education.

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Journal of Emergent Science - 5

This issue looks at Pre-schoolers’ construction of operational deﬁnitions in magnetism, making sense of the natural world with seeds and plant germ...

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Journal of Emergent Science - 4

The Journal of Emergent Science is a professional research e-journal published by the Emergent Science Network in collaboration with ASE.

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Journal of Emergent Science - 3

The Journal of Emergent Science is a professional research e-journal published by the Emergent Science Network in collaboration with ASE.

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Journal of Emergent Science - 2

The Journal of Emergent Science is a professional research e-journal published by the Emergent Science Network in collaboration with ASE.

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Journal of Emergent Science - 1

The Journal of Emergent Science is a professional research e-journal published by the Emergent Science Network in collaboration with ASE.

Download journal