What is science? Science is a way of knowing, a method of learning about nature. Rooted in common sense, its formal, systematic method is called scientific inquiry. In doing scientific inquiry, scientists use a variety of empirical approaches, techniques, and procedures to collect data from nature, examine and...

In this booklet, Reinhard Pekrun draw upon empirical evidence to address the emotions experienced by students at school. He discusses the nature and diversity of these emotions, their function on student’s learning, their individual antecedents, ways to regulate these emotions, and the influence on teachers,...

The purpose of this booklet is to offer guiding principles about learning in the twenty-first century. It is intended for teachers, curriculum designers, school leaders, and others involved in all levels of school education and can be used for any age group, as the principles it contains are general enough to be...

This booklet, draws on research and experience to presents eight key principles of creative thinking that are interlinked and interrelated and equally important for nurturing creativity in the educational context.

Creative thinking is defined as the thinking that enables students to apply their...

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...

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...

Published by the Wellcome Trust in September 2011, this report aimed to find a deeper understanding of young people’s attitudes to science education, particularly regarding the value young people place on science education (for themselves as individuals and for society in general), as well as the key factors...

Charlie Taylor’s Behaviour Checklists, Getting the Simple Things Right, look at the simple things that should be put in place to create good behaviour for learning. It includes the two lists 'key principles for headteachers to help improve school behaviour' and 'behaviour checklist for teachers'.

This report published by the Nuffield Foundation in January 2012 provides an up-to-date picture of the scale of UK foundation resources devoted to international development. It also identifies how these resources are distributed across region and need, and how foundations approach international funding activities...

This resource sets out the knowledge, skills and understanding that trainee teachers will need in order to be able to manage their students’ behaviour. Effective teacher training incorporates activities and teaching that leads to these outcomes and prepares trainees to manage behaviour confidently and with...

This paper, published to coincide with Science and Engineering Week 2013, presents evidence from research carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) to explore how to encourage further engagement in, and take-up of, STEM subjects. It discusses why STEM education is important and looks at...

The Wellcome Trust commissioned the research reported here with two aims: to develop a greater understanding of science teacher retention; and to test whether there is any link between subject specific CPD delivered by the National STEM Learning Network and likelihood to stay in the profession.

The research...

A presentation highlighting seven strategies for behaviour management.

In July 2010, 21 years after the National Curriculum was first introduced, the Wellcome Trust convened a seminar to reflect on the impact of the National Curriculum for science. Presented in this report are views that emerged from the seminar where delegates considered the National Curriculum’s initial development...