Published in 1989 by Her Majesty's Inspectorate (HMI), this report looks at the changes in science teaching from the mid-seventies to the late-eighties and discusses how further improvements could be achieved. It is based on observations made by HMI during the inspection of 300 primary schools in England, and from...

The aim of this Children’s Learning in Science Project (CLIS) research study was to describe aspects of secondary school students’ ideas about light and to set these in the context of results from other studies in the area and of the history of ideas about light and...

The report from the Children’s Learning in Science Project (CLIS) gives an account of a number of aspects of students’ ideas about energy including:

*Do students use ideas about energy spontaneously to help them interpret phenomena?

*When students are ‘cued’ that energy is involved in a situation,...

The report from the Children’s Learning in Science Project (CLIS) gives an account of a number of aspects of students’ understanding of plant nutrition including:
*To what extent do students understand that plants carry out autotrophic nutrition and not...

The report from the Children’s Learning in Science Project (CLIS) gives an account of a number of aspects of students’ ideas about particles including:
*What do students understand about the particulate nature of matter?
*Do they understand the scientific...

This case study explores the intention of a provider to engage young learners in engineering and technology. Key to the project was the involvement of parents, employers and a range of STEM Ambassadors. Information on career pathways in engineering being the focus, an innovative approach in making engineering...

Published in December 2013.  The ASPIRES study sought to shed new light on our understanding of how young people’s aspirations develop over the 10-14 age period, exploring in particular what influences the likelihood of a young person aspiring to a science-related career.

This report presents key findings...

This report, published in 2009, is based on a seminar held in London in 2008 at the Nuffield Foundation. It discusses why teaching ethics in science is important and examines approaches to the assessment of ethics in science considering key issues, such as the importance of ethical debate in science classes, the...

Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study tackles the themes of progression through STEM and assessment for learning in A2 biology. By SRC Bede Sixth Form College, it describes how the following were investigated:
* Learners’ perceptions of the effectiveness of comment-only...

This resource is a summary of a seminar organised by SCORE (Science Community Representing Education) in November 2009. The seminar aimed to discuss the purpose and methods of assessment of practical work in science. It also looked at the current GCSE specifications and the key philosophical differences of the...

This Catalyst article investigates possible careers in astronomy and space science. It provides some information on a number of academic courses leading to an exciting career in astronomy; the article also lists places to visit for those with general interest in astronomy.

This article is from Catalyst: GCSE...

A Catalyst article about using an AFM to image surfaces. The article comprises an annotated diagram of the microscope.

This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2005, Volume 16, Issue 2.

Catalyst is a science magazine for students...

Published in 2010 by the Wellcome Trust, this report considers students’ and parents’ views of testing and assessment in science at Key Stage Two in England and Wales. The research was carried out by the School of Education at Queen’s University Belfast over a period in which the Key Stage Two science SAT was...

Since 2000, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and its predecessor Departments have been responsible for funding the Public Attitudes to Science series of attitudinal surveys.

This survey provides information about what the public thinks about science, scientists and science policy...

A Catalyst article about biologists looking for patterns in the distribution of barnacle species on the sea shore. Barnacles are arthropods which live as tiny larvae in the sea and then cement themselves, head down, on suitable rocks, build a shell, poke their legs out of the top of it and start to filter feed. The...