University of York Key Stage 2/3 Transfer Innovative Project Pedagogy and Progression in Teaching Science Process Skills
This project draws on findings and best practice resulting from the 'STAY' project funded by the AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust in 2001, but is fundamentally different to it in a number of ways. The project will operate in a host LEA, North Yorkshire.
 The project responds to current debate on the need to concentrate on curriculum and pedagogical aspects in transfer between primary and secondary schooling. This is particularly important in the area of teaching the process skills of scientific enquiry since this is work that underpins the science that pupils do either side of transition, irrespective of the topic studied. In particular the previous work has shown that:
Y7 pupils value science work that uses familiar teaching approaches;
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teachers value an improved understanding of the ways in which each other work, including how the language of teaching and learning can be made more contiguous;
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there has been a very significant and serious reduction in the amount of practical work done in Y6 classes and this is widening the gap between Y6 and Y7 teaching;
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there is still a great need for continued professional development of teachers in the area of scientific enquiry, particularly in teaching about ideas and evidence;
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teachers in both phases are looking for ways of linking good quality opportunities for a range of types of scientific enquiry to their current schemes of work and to QCA units.
Additionally teachers in both key stages are being focussed on progressing pupils' learning from scientific enquiry by the changes in the nature of SAT questions to be made in both KS2 and KS3 papers in 2003.
The central idea of this project is to address these needs through the development and teaching of ' Science Enquiry Mini-tasks ' (SEMs). The aim is to develop a number of SEMs and relate these to the QCA schemes of work and the national curriculum programmes of study. SEMs will use harmonious pedagogical approaches and will be focussed on teaching in Y5/6 and Y7/8 thereby enhancing the transition between key stages at a deeper and more sustainable level than through the use of bridging units alone.
As a result of this project pupils will:
As a result of this project teachers will:
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Have access to and use more focussed practical work in their teaching;
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Have improved levels of confidence in teaching scientific enquiry;
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Have a better appreciation of the need for harmonious pedagogical approaches in science teaching in both key stages.
The project will be 'hosted' by North Yorkshire County Council Education Department in that the core of the project will involve project teachers drawn from schools in this large rural LEA, and initial dissemination will be to two 'core clusters'. In view of the large, diverse and geographically dispersed nature of schools in the LEA, a rapid dissemination strategy will be used so that all schools in the LEA can benefit from the project's outcomes by the end of a single year of funding.
A neighbouring LEA, The City of York, will act as an associate to the project but will bear funding for CPD/training from their own budget therefore enhancing the spread, impact and value of the project. Their involvement will include:
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Having access to the SEM material and guidance produced by the project;
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Dissemination and training for teachers in the LEA;
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Evaluation of impact on teachers and pupils;
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Membership of the project steering group.
It is intended to establish a core team of 8 teachers; four from primary schools and four from secondary schools. These teachers will receive training and will then be provided with time and support to develop SEMs .
These teachers will trial SEMs in their own classrooms/schools and will co-teach SEMs in a neighbouring school in an opposite phase to the one in which they normally teach. This will establish a 'pool of expertise' of teachers who have a wider view of pedagogical approaches to teaching science and can act as a dissemination group for the LEA.
The core clusters will consist of two high schools and their feeder primary schools within the host LEA. Teachers from the core clusters will receive one day of training in the teaching of SEMs and will then introduce these materials in their schools.
Members of the LEA team will contact teachers and pupils in schools from the core clusters to track progress of the teaching of SEMs and to evaluate the impact on pupil learning and own practice. Experience has shown that teachers from the core clusters may also help add to the 'pool of expertise' that will be an invaluable resource in further dissemination to other schools in the host LEA and to schools in the associate LEA. This will contribute to what the project calls the 'rapid dissemination strategy'.
A project steering group will be formed and this group will meet at key times during the project to help give advice and to help fine-tune planning. The membership of this group will include representation from:
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The management team (Director plus one representative from each LEA)
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School Governors
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Senior managers in schools
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The core project teachers
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The local business community (North Yorkshire Business and Education Partnership)
The project will seek to involve North Yorkshire Business and Education Partnership from the outset and will encourage all schools to enhance existing links with business and industry and to develop new ones.
Contact : Martin Braund University of York
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