Started in north-east England in 2015, MammalWeb aims to improve our knowledge of British mammals through the use of motion-sensing camera traps. Fundamental to the project is the involvement of local communities and individuals who act as citizen scientists. They contribute to the collection and analysis of the camera trap photographic data.…

The High School Project on Astrophysics Research with Cosmics (HiSPARC) is an international project in which secondary schools and academic institutions join forces to form a network of detectors to measure cosmic rays with extremely high energy. We present results of research done by students at the King Edward VI High School For Girls,…

The Nuffield Foundation's Practical Work for Learning project takes the position that practical work is not a pedagogic approach in its own right, but that its affordances for learning depend on how successfully other pedagogies are applied to practical lessons. The design process used in the project is made explicit, illustrating…

This article presents an account of a practical outdoor science project using the larvae of antlions with year 5 and 6 (age 10-11) pupils from Sir Harry Johnston International Primary School in Zomba, Malawi. Aim: To conduct a science project outdoors using scientific enquiry and knowledge in a typical African school environment and to see whether…

All schools are expected to have explicit policies in place to make sure that their most able students are being extended. This is especially important in science, as many talented young people do not aspire to study or work in science. Carefully planned projects can offer suitable opportunities to engage and challenge such students, while…

This study investigates whether the Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education (CASE) scheme could be used to meet the demands of the Literacy and Numeracy Framework (LNF). The LNF is part of the Welsh Government's improvement strategy in response to perceived poor performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)…

The boundaries between subject disciplines in secondary education today make it difficult for students to see their subjects in context. However, examining the secondary curriculum in England shows that there are a wealth of opportunities for making links and helping to develop students' epistemic insight and scholarly thought. This article…

The Royal Masonic School for Girls made history in February 2016 when it became the first school to establish a video link with the International Space Station via amateur radio--the result of a competition run by ARISS. Six girls from year 9 (age 13-14 years) qualified for Foundation Amateur Radio Licences, and students across the school took…

This article describes how seven schools in England improved their science provision by focusing on the professional development of their science technicians. In September 2013, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation funded the National Science Learning Centre to lead a project connecting secondary schools with experienced senior science technicians…

When CLEAPSS, the organisation now well known as a source of advice on health and safety in school science, came into being, it was called the Consortium of Local Education Authorities for the Provision of Science Equipment (CLEAPSE). This short article describes the role of the Science Masters' Association in its creation and the contribution of…

The article describes an innovative project for year 9 (age 13-14) students that has run since 2002 with the help of professional engineers and scientists and incorporates careers information and hands-on practical work. The programme was developed to highlight alternative energy as a subject and also to provide a hands-on practical day for the…

A shared conference presentation describes two ways of bringing education for sustainable development into education. The first part concentrated on putting science into outdoor learning backed up by a series of mind-mapping activities. The second was about linking schools with their surrounding communities to develop ways of working together. An…

Science is at heart a practical subject, but the perception of what makes good teaching and learning through practical science is often misunderstood. Through working with teachers on professional development courses at the UK's National Science Learning Centre, and drawing on work carried out by other organisations, we present some thoughts and…

The revised National Curriculum for Science for key stages 3 and 4 (ages 11-16) in England provides the opportunity to develop a new coherent approach to teaching about the carbon cycle, the use of carbon as a fuel and the resulting issues. The Earth Science Education Unit (ESEU) intends to develop a new workshop to support the teaching of this…

Presents examples that illustrate how spreadsheets can be used to ask and answer all sorts of scientific questions given suitable automation of useful spreadsheet procedures. Examples include data exploration, data analysis, project presentation, simulations, and students writing their own models. (Author/JRH)