The Cluster Programme

The ultimate aim of the Primary Science Teaching Trust is to see excellent teaching of science in every PRIMARY classroom ACROSS THE UK.

In any school there may be changes to teaching staff on a range of timescales and the Trust recognises that some of these changes may mean that good teachers of science may leave. Therefore, the Trust encourages schools to join up into clusters so that they can support one another in their development of science teaching and have more resilience to change of circumstances in any one school.

Working in a collaborative group we can achieve much more than working in isolation. Clusters provide the opportunity and environment to develop primary teaching, benefit our schools and have a positive impact in the classroom.

We are currently supporting and providing funding to 24 PSTT Clusters. All of the PSTT Clusters are built around a PSTT College Fellow; the Cluster Programme is not open for applications from teachers other than College Fellows at this time.

In addition to the programme, the PSTT is supporting and jointly funding a group of clusters in the Salisbury area of Wiltshire; this project grew from an exploratory cluster into a network of 5 clusters.

The PSTT can advise and provide non-financial support to those wishing to build their own clusters. A PSTT Cluster Guidance booklet is also available on request. Please contact the Cluster Director, Sophie Franklin or the Cluster Advisor, Peter Sainsbury to find out more.