Welcome to the June edition of Primary Science Update. In this edition, you'll find information about:
Ofsted's research review of science; Assessment in Primary Science; Education Resources Award for PLAN; Natural History Museum & Royal Parks urban nature workshops; AXA Arctic Live 2021; STATWARS Climate Change Challenge; STEM Ambassadors Virtual Science Jamboree; STEM Clubs Week 2021; Mission X; Big City Butterflies; I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here; Climate Change Club resources; children's stories with embedded science; environment-based comic stories and lesson plan ideas; and our latest CPD opportunities.
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Ofsted's Research review series: science
Ofsted recently published the latest report in its research review series that identified the factors that influence the quality of science education in schools in England. To help primary schools consider the findings and conclusions of the review, we have written two blog posts about it. The first highlights the content of most relevance to primary schools and provides some additional commentary that we hope schools will find useful. The second aims to clarify what we think some of the unfamiliar terms used in the review mean in a primary context.
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Assessment in Primary Science
Our latest free document, Assessment in Primary Science, is designed to support science subject leaders to reflect on the purpose and processes of science assessment and includes a range of resources to support the implementation of effective practice.
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PLAN wins Education Resources Awards 2021
As leader of the team that developed the PLAN primary science resources, we are thrilled that they were announced as the winner of the Education Resources Awards 2021 for Primary Resource or Equipment - Tools for Leadership, Management and Assessment.
We'd like to congratulate the team who developed them and thank them for all the time they gave voluntarily so the resources would be freely available, and to thank all the schools and teachers who worked with us to produce the Examples of Work that are so central to their effectiveness.
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Free urban nature workshop by Natural History Museum and Royal Parks
The Natural History Museum has developed a 2-hour urban nature workshop with Royal Parks and wants to trial it with groups of students from upper Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3. Pupils participating in the workshop become urban nature scientists through investigating museum specimens and Hyde Park's biodiversity to generate scientific questions and understand humans' impact on the environment.
The free workshops will be delivered in the Royal Parks LookOut space in Hyde Park between 28 June and 2 July. They will want feedback from the pupils and teachers who participate in the workshops. If your school would be interested in the workshop, please email the Education team at Royal Parks to book a free session, including your name and telephone number, and the school's name and the year-group that you plan to bring.
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AXA Arctic Live 2021 - 7-17 June
AXA Arctic Live explores the science and geography of the frozen north, and enables pupils to meet some of the people who work in this fast-changing environment. For AXA Arctic Live 2021, Encounter Edu are delivering 21 live lessons for primary and secondary students, so why not get your pupils to join the AXA Ocean Education team as they share their experiences and insights into this unique environment from food webs to survival and the impact of carbon emissions to geopolitics.
To book the live lessons, visit the Encounter Edu website.
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STATWARS helps pupils investigate climate change
In the lead up to the United Nations climate summit COP26, the Royal Society has partnered with not-for-profit organisation, Primary Engineer, and their new project STATWARS Climate Change Challenge to help primary and secondary pupils across the UK develop their data skills and investigate climate change. The Challenge asks pupils to interrogate datasets to identify three achievable goals to adopt in order to live a more sustainable lifestyle, such as recycling, sustainable eating and reduced water consumption. Pupils are then asked to produce an infographic, manifesto and pitch to inspire others to follow in their footsteps.
The deadline for entries is 18 June, but STATWARS is an annual competition so there is always next year.
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Virtual Science Jamboree
The South East England STEM Ambassadors Hub has organised a free Virtual Science Jamboree, which is live until 2 July and open to all primary schools. It is an opportunity for pupils to experience and discover virtually the exciting and diverse world of STEM. There are four main sections to the website, including the programme of live interactive experiences:
- Underwater World
- The Explorer
- Map of Kent
- Timetable of STEM workshops.
Visit the website to access the Virtual Science Jamboree.
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STEM Clubs Week 2021 - 21–25 June
STEM Clubs Week 2021 is a free, virtual event organised by STEM Learning to celebrate STEM Clubs across the country with the theme of sport and exercise. It will support club leaders and educators to develop existing clubs or set up new ones, as well as offering pupils the chance to meet STEM industry professionals and learn about STEM careers.
Throughout the week, STEM Learning are offering a timetable of virtual sessions designed to inspire pupils, including talks, challenges and webinars. To get involved, visit the STEM Learning YouTube channel each day during the week. There is no need to register.
As part of the week, STEM Learning is running a competition for pupils to design a piece of wearable technology for use in an Olympic event. Year 6 pupils' entries to the competition could also be entered for a CREST Discovery Award and CREST Star and SuperStar challenges were designed for use in STEM Clubs so are perfect activities for STEM Clubs Week. Remember that CREST Awards are still fully-funded for all London state schools. To register your school's interest in delivering fully-funded CREST Awards at any level (to be completed by the end of August 2021), please complete this form.
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Mission X: Train like an astronaut
Mission X is an international educational challenge that focuses on health, science, fitness and nutrition and encourages pupils to train like an astronaut. Teams of pupils complete Mission X activities to earn points. Every activity submitted helps the Mission X mascots, Luna and Leo, walk to the Moon. This year's Mission X challenge has been extended to 30 July 2021. If the mascots, Luna and Leo, reach their destination before that date, the points calculator will be restarted to see if they can make it to the Moon again!
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Big City Butterflies: new project to inspire Londoners to discover butterflies and moths
London is home to a surprising diversity of butterflies and moths. Twenty-five of the UK's 59 butterfly species can be spotted in the capital. Big City Butterflies is a project by Butterfly Conservation that is being delivered across London's inner boroughs. To celebrate its launch, they have published a free family guide to the city's butterflies and moths, so children can enjoy seeing what they can spot in their local park.
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'I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here' connects pupils with working scientists
'I'm a Scientist, Get me out of here' is a flexible online activity that runs throughout the year. Pupils can:
- read profiles of scientists in different careers
- chat with scientists, in real time
- ask them questions
- vote for their favourite scientist to win £500.
It all happens online. It’s safe and secure. It’s free for UK state-maintained schools and it only takes 2 minutes to join the activity that suits your pupils. For more information, visit their website.
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Children’s stories with science embedded
Clare Fearon has written several children’s stories with science embedded in them for her Master's dissertation and would appreciate your feedback on them. Each story is designed for specific year-groups and to support a curriculum topic.
Visit her website for the stories and to provide feedback.
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Free monthly Amazon environment-based comic story and lesson pIan ideas
Amazonas Comics, who publish comics for children highlighting the need to protect the unique environment of the Amazon based on ideas developed by children from schools in the Amazon and local folklore, are offering a free comic story and lesson plan ideas each month to schools. To subscribe, send an email to Amazonas Comics with the email address you would like the story and lesson plan ideas sent to and your school's name and address.
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CPD opportunities
Information about forthcoming CPD opportunities that we are delivering and how to book is available below.
Primary Science: Taking stock and planning for next year - 9 July, 9.30am-3pm
This conference will provide advice for science subject leaders on how to develop a revised long-term curriculum plan for science that will address any gaps in learning their pupils may have as a result of the pandemic and strategies for ensuring that missed prior learning is covered in subsequent years.
It will cover approaches to implementing robust summative assessment processes for the end of this academic year to establish where gaps in learning exist so reliable information can be gathered to inform any revision to the long-term curriculum plan. It will also explore formative assessment strategies so that science subject leaders can ensure that their teachers are consistently and reliably identifying those pupils who are not secure in the prior learning and are planning to address this before building on it to cover the content in the National Curriculum for that topic and year-group.
To book, click here.
Science subject leader remote meetings
Choose one of the following dates for a valuable opportunity to hear about the latest developments in primary science and to share good practice. All the meetings are in the afternoon, but please confirm precise timings when booking.
- 15 June, 3.30-5pm - North East London SLP (Newham) - To book, click here.
- 16 June, 2-3.30pm - North East London SLP (Enfield) - To book, click here.
- 17 June, 1.30-3pm - London Borough of Wandsworth - To Book, click here.
- 24 June, 2-3.30pm - South London SLP (Lambeth) - To book, click here.
- 25 June, 1.30-3.30pm - Central & West London SLP (Hillingdon) - To book, click here.
- 30 June, 1-4pm - North East London SLP (Haringey) - To book, click here.
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