Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the theme of harnessing technology. It describes how Highbury College moved the use of their virtual learning environment (VLE) from being mostly a document repository to a vehicle for interactive teaching, learning and assessment...

This Catalyst article looks at harlequin ladybirds, just one of the invasive species that has spread through Western Europe. Over the last century there has been a dramatic increase in the movement of so called alien species around the world as a consequence of international trade and travel. Invasive alien species...

A Catalyst article about the efficient use of heating systems. Many people complain of being too hot or cold. Coming soon are a new generation of intelligent heating controls which can learn how people live, and then deliver heating efficiently when and where they need it. These devices are known as Wattboxes and...

A Catalyst article devoted to food chains. This article looks at photosynthesis and the loss of energy from plants to animals throughout the food chain. How this limits the number of animals that can survive on the energy fixed by a patch of vegetation is explained. Foraging characteristics and how many animals can...

A Catalyst article about how the society can decide whether energy-efficient lighting is good for the environment. With the UK Government announcement that sales of filament lamps will be phased out over the next few years the article examines their replacements, CFLs, compact fluorescent lamps. Not everyone agrees...

Produced in 2011 by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the theme of equality and diversity. It describes how Sussex Downs College looked at: * The cultural and social reasons which influence why girls choose not to study physics. * Whether the teaching and learning activities...

Published by LSIS, this guidance document summarises the effective practice in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) in science for post-16 learners. It reviews the research and current practice in ESOL in science in schools and in the learning and skills sector.

Published by LSIS, this case study looks at a project at Nelson and Colne College. The college applied for funding from the LSIS STEM Programme to devise and deliver an action research project that would meet the needs of college students.

The team began by collecting the GCSE English Language data of...

Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the themes of innovation in STEM and harnessing technology. It describes how the biology team at Bexhill College used a differentiated ‘Focus Question’ approach to practical investigations.

Students were made more aware of...

Produced in 2011 by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study tackles the theme of equality and diversity. The study focuses around a class of students on a level three applied science course at Redcar and Cleveland College. The class had twelve students in total, with eight of them identified...

This summary was produced by the Department for Education in 2012 to support schools with their behaviour policy. This document summarises the legal powers and duties that govern behaviour and attendance in school at the time of writing, and explains how they apply to teachers, governing bodies, pupils and parents...

A Catalyst article explaining how enzymes allow chemical reactions in all living organisms to proceed quickly, under conditions where they would normally be very slow. By isolating enzymes that could be used to catalyze reactions, scientists have started a major biotechnology industry. The article describes how...

This resource contains an evaluation report on the two-year mentoring pilot programme for science and mathematics teacher trainees and early career teachers funded by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) which started in July 2009. 'Starting Out' was delivered by the Learning and Skills Network (...

Published in 2012, NFER was commissioned by the National STEM Learning Centre and Network to evaluate the effectiveness and early impacts of the European Space Education Resource Office for the UK (ESERO-UK). ESERO-UK aims to promote the use of space as a context for enriching science, technology, engineering and...

This report, published in March 2012 by the National Foundation for Educational Research,
presents the findings of an evaluation of the Wellcome Trust’s Camden Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Initiative which provided funding to eight Camden schools to develop interdisciplinary...