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Teacher Assessment in Primary Science (TAPS)

Guidance and resources to support teaching and assessment

The Teacher Assessment in Primary Science (TAPS) project is based at Bath Spa University and funded by the Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT). TAPS aims to develop support for a valid, reliable and manageable system of primary school science assessment which will have a positive impact on children’s learning.

In this resource you will find:

  • A database of plans that focus on the assessment of enquiry skills (working scientifically) and focused assessment examples of children’s learning
  • A pyramid tool that provides a framework to help schools evaluate and develop their primary science assessment processes
  • Guidance documents on how to use the TAPS resources effectively

To find out more the TAPS project, videos can be found on the project playlist.

If you would like to offer further examples, or provide the TAPS team with feedback, please email: [email protected].

How can I find what I am looking for?

Using our five filters below, you can search for:

  1. Types of resources – Guidance documents / Focused Assessment Plans / Examples
  2. Age range – 3-5 years / 5-7 years / 7-9 years / 9-12 years
  3. Topics – several science topics
  4. Enquiry types – Planning enquiry / Doing enquiry / Reviewing enquiry
  5. Country of origin/language – England / Northern Ireland / Scotland / Wales / Welsh

You can adapt any of the lesson plans to use in your setting, regardless of where they were originally developed.

 

Please watch the video below for more guidance on navigating the new TAPS filter system.

Focused Assessment Plans, Examples and Guidance documents

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Leaf Looking

5-7 | Lesson Plan | Plants | Doing Enquiry | Developed in England

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Outdoor Keys

9-12 | Lesson Plan | Living things, habitats and evolution | Doing Enquiry | Developed in England

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Invertebrate Research

9-12 | Lesson Plan | Living things, habitats and evolution | Reviewing Enquiry | Developed in England

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Investigating Shadows

9-12 | Lesson Plan | Light and sound | Doing Enquiry | Developed in England

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Fossil Habitats

9-12 | Lesson Plan | Living things, habitats and evolution, Materials | Reviewing Enquiry | Developed in England

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Egg Strength

9-12 | Lesson Plan | Living things, habitats and evolution | Reviewing Enquiry | Developed in England

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Bulb Brightness

9-12 | Lesson Plan | Electricity | Planning Enquiry | Developed in England

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Seed Dispersal Survey

9-12 | Lesson Plan | Living things, habitats and evolution | Doing Enquiry | Developed in England

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Solar System Research

9-12 | Lesson Plan | Space and seasons | Reviewing Enquiry | Developed in England

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Craters

9-12 | Lesson Plan | Space and seasons | Doing Enquiry | Developed in England

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Sugar Cube Stacks

9-12 | Lesson Plan | Materials | Doing Enquiry | Developed in England

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Testing Nappy Absorbency

9-12 | Lesson Plan | Materials | Planning Enquiry | Developed in England

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The TAPS Pyramid

The TAPS pyramid is a tool to help schools evaluate and develop their assessment process in primary science. Download the Guidance document to find out more about the pyramid model. Download a black and white copy of the pyramid for photocopying which you might use to evaluate assessment processes in your school. Visit the Pyramid website to see examples of science assessment taken from a range of schools.

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Guidance

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Pyramid_Doc

Black and white pyramid

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TAPS

The pyramid website

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Safety Notice & Disclaimer

The PSTT advises teachers to refer to either the CLEAPSS website or SSERC website for up to date health and safety information when planning practical activities for children.

The PSTT is not liable for the actions or activities of any reader or anyone else who uses the information in these resource pages or the associated classroom materials. The PSTT assumes no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information contained in these resources. The PSTT recommends that a full risk assessment is carried out before undertaking in the classroom any of the practical investigations contained in the resources.

All materials are ©Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT) and are freely available to download and share for educational purposes. Whilst educators are free to adapt the resources to suit their own needs, acknowledgement of copyright on all original materials must be included. Rights to images included in the resource have been purchased for PSTT use only – as such, these images may only be used as part of this resource and may not copied into or used in other materials.