| Information about the future comes from the | | | | external testing, puts primary science back a |
| strangest places. Apparently, if you want to know | | | | couple of decades. This is a blow for enthusiasts; |
| what the future of communications will be, you | | | | but it will come as a relief to teachers who have |
| need to consult producers of adult material. They | | | | always found science difficult and those who have |
| were the first to exploit videotape, CD-Rom and | | | | little empathy with the subject. |
| the Internet. Whatever technology they are | | | | I find no comfort in the response of the |
| working on right now is likely to be the next big | | | | opinion-makers - the QCDA, the SLCs, SCORE, |
| thing. Is it Blue-Ray? 3-D? Even 4-D? | | | | NAIGs and the ASE. It's not that they don't have |
| A comparison of with educational publishers may | | | | the subject's best interests at heart. But they |
| seem a little tenuous. But maybe, like them, the | | | | seem to have spent too long in the company of |
| publishers know something. It is significant that | | | | the converted. Of course the primary school |
| there was not any new primary science | | | | science enthusiasts will 'make strong and relevant |
| equipment on the stands at the 2010 ASE Annual | | | | connections between subjects to ensure |
| Conference in Nottingham this January. Actually, | | | | meaningful and inspiring learning and full coverage |
| there were not even any old ones. After the | | | | of the whole curriculum' as the ASE's 'Science in |
| years when the stands would be full of files and | | | | the proposed new primary curriculum'. But will this |
| glossy books and discs, there was nothing for | | | | kind of optimistic curriculum-speak be reflected in |
| primary teachers to lust after, or even browse | | | | real schools by real teachers who teach other |
| on. Whatever the educational publishers are | | | | subjects brilliantly but have no burning desire to |
| working on, it ain't primary science. | | | | teach science? |
| There may be good reasons for this. Many | | | | And where are the skills of science? The ASE |
| resources are now available online. It's possible to | | | | response says 'there is no longer a separation of |
| look up a lesson plan on one of a hundred | | | | 'how to do science' and 'things to learn about'. |
| websites that offer the full Monty - from planning | | | | Investigative skills are integrated throughout the |
| to assessment. Many staff libraries are already | | | | area of learning. Children will learn by doing.' (4) |
| groaning with primary science resources - some | | | | Again, sounds wonderful. No argument there, then. |
| of them regularly used. Government publications | | | | And yet there is. The skills of primary education |
| cover a lot of the ground, and don't have to | | | | are not the same as the skills of practical science. |
| make a profit like commercial ones. So it's a | | | | The whole point about science is that it's not a |
| tough time for publishers, waiting to see whether | | | | skill common to other curriculum areas. Uniquely, |
| the Rose Report will be adopted - or even if | | | | science subjects ideas to practical testing. No |
| there is a change of government which might put | | | | other curriculum area does that. If science is |
| Rose-related publishing in the recycling bin. How do | | | | allowed to slide into the cosy world of overarching |
| you publish for a curriculum that is significantly | | | | skills and soft topics, a whole generation will lose |
| local, individual and eclectic? Much safer to print for | | | | out on its rigor. |
| the National Strategies - go for core sales in | | | | So what should the primary science mafia, the |
| language and numeracy. So no new primary | | | | school curriculum leaders, the local authority |
| science publishing - yet. It wasn't always so. I | | | | advisers (where they exist) and the college |
| recall travelling to Wales, twenty years ago, to | | | | lecturers who have carried the flag so far, be |
| talk about the publication of a new primary | | | | doing? The optimists are planning for stand-alone |
| science scheme. I was mobbed - literally. The talk | | | | science lessons. The pessimists are banking on a |
| had to be moved from the school (not big | | | | change of government. It would be nice to think |
| enough) to the village hall. A hundred teachers led | | | | that the Rose Report would be dropped in the |
| me down the street. | | | | dustbin of history. But that's unlikely. 'On 30 April |
| It goes without saying that since those days, | | | | 2009, the government accepted the proposals of |
| primary school science has been a huge success | | | | the Rose review of the primary curriculum. Since |
| story. Through the work of enthusiastic teachers | | | | this nominally independent review adhered to a |
| both in and out of schools, it has established itself | | | | narrow government remit, refrained from |
| as an essential part of a full primary education. It | | | | questioning existing policy and for good measure |
| certainly helped that it was given core status | | | | was managed by DCSF, its adoption was a |
| alongside English and mathematics; that it was | | | | foregone conclusion'. Oh, and its brief did not |
| subject to SATs testing and to reporting, and | | | | include assessment. |
| importantly that both children and teachers hugely | | | | So it's down to the foot soldiers again, folks. If |
| enjoyed it. | | | | primary school science is not to be sidelined and |
| The key factor in establishing it so soundly in | | | | finally ditched in the future, they need to ensure |
| classrooms in the first place was the work of | | | | that its presence is maintained. And I suggest |
| Education Support Grant teachers. ESG teams | | | | three pragmatic strategies in your school. |
| across the country worked in different ways to | | | | First, aim for a high profile. Some subjects are |
| show primary teachers how to manage this 'new | | | | naturally showy. Science is not. Like PE, the best |
| subject.' The ASE history of primary science | | | | moments in science are practical and often go |
| makes no mention of these foot soldiers. It's a | | | | unrecorded. The products of science are not as |
| shameful omission. The great and the good may | | | | engaging as those of the arty subjects. So go for |
| have fought the political battles to establish | | | | presence. Record on film, on tape, in pictures. Fill |
| science as a core subject, but the real | | | | display space. Constantly remind teachers that this |
| grass-roots changes were the work of ESG | | | | is a school where good science happens - and |
| teams and the curriculum leaders in schools, who | | | | that children gain hugely from it. |
| encouraged and supported primary teachers. The | | | | Next, push for curriculum time. If there are six |
| work of science coordinators is the life-blood of | | | | topics in a year, make two of them science. |
| the subject. The result of their efforts is the UK's | | | | Argue that the skills and content can't possibly be |
| exceptional showing in international comparisons. | | | | covered if they are given a small corner of a |
| We do it well. | | | | topic on pirates or Vikings. Avoid the super-topics, |
| I've worked for forty years in primary education | | | | like 'water'. We've been there before, thirty years |
| - the last twenty-five largely in primary school | | | | ago. They sound like they can be full of science, |
| science. When I started, my bible was the Nuffield | | | | but most offer great opportunities to relegate |
| Junior Science Project. A contributor to it was | | | | investigations to the back burner. |
| another enthusiastic young teacher called Jim | | | | Finally, fight for funding. Science resources are |
| Rose. Forty years later, the subject is in serious | | | | essential for this practical subject. Ensure that |
| trouble, and ironically, his report is not helping. I'm | | | | consumables are replaced and breakages |
| unconvinced by arguments that primary science is | | | | managed. Go for the exciting and spectacular. The |
| about to enter a great new decade of exciting | | | | science cupboard should not be a place where |
| developments. I'd love to agree, but I'm a primary | | | | magnets go to die; it should be filled with engaging |
| scientist and I work from evidence. I attended a | | | | and reliable resources that will excite and engage. |
| recent regional ASE meeting on science and the | | | | You can get amazing stuff these days that I |
| new curriculum, excellently planned and executed, | | | | could only dream of when I started. |
| with some really helpful practical ideas. Eight | | | | I see everything I have worked for going down |
| teachers attended. Contrast that with my village | | | | the plug. But don't worry about me. I've got |
| hall experience. | | | | plenty to do. Over the past quarter-century, I've |
| A great new era in primary school science? Allow | | | | been lucky enough to have been involved in |
| me a Victor Meldrew moment. I don't believe it. | | | | writing the primary science resources used in |
| I'm not the only one to think like this. The | | | | many of our schools - books, television, discs, |
| Cambridge Primary Review remarks that | | | | websites. Nowadays my commissions come from |
| 'Worryingly, primary science, which was one of | | | | abroad. In many countries, they are waking up to |
| the success stories of the National Curriculum's | | | | the idea that their children need a sound grounding |
| first decade, has been squeezed by the national | | | | in science - just as we are forgetting it. Their |
| strategies, retaining its albeit reduced place only | | | | children want colour and excitement; their |
| because it was tested at the end of key stage 2. | | | | teachers can learn from our experience. |
| Science is far too important to both a balanced | | | | I recently had the pleasure of meeting a number |
| education and the nation's future to be allowed to | | | | of my ex-primary pupils at a school reunion. It |
| decline in this way.' | | | | was a complete joy, but I especially treasure a |
| Rose reflects current primary practice, and this is | | | | comment from one young man, once an |
| welcome. We are assured, too, that primary | | | | enthusiastic ten-year-old, now director of a |
| school science will continue to be assessed and | | | | national professional organisation and an adviser to |
| monitored. Nobody wants the SATs back in the | | | | government. 'When I was in your class,' he said, 'I |
| form in which they could undermine the whole | | | | used to walk to school thinking: Great! Something |
| Year 6 experience - and sometimes science | | | | exciting is going to happen today.' Just make sure |
| teaching throughout the school. But the loss of | | | | that something exciting happens in your school, |
| core status (even second division core), and of | | | | too. |