In spring 2011 Ofsted conducted a survey of good practice in science in general further education and sixth form colleges in England. Inspectors visited 15 college science departments to observe teaching and learning and evaluate the quality of provision and departmental leadership and management.

This...

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...

Produced by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this series of resources provide interactive and lively theory sessions for science lessons. Originally produced in the form of CD-Roms and DVDs, the resources can be viewed online. They are intended to stimulate discussion about teaching and learning...

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...

This is an  activity where students make glues using milk. They make a glue following a given procedure and then alter the method to see if they can make a stronger glue.
Different milks and bases are provided, though some students may decide to make the glue acidic or basic or add less water when making the...

This action research report from Henley College, was published by LSIS in 2009. The project looked at incorporating data logging equipment into practical sessions. Fully integrated, it provides learners with autonomy to complete their own scientific investigations. Students were required to make good use of...

Published in 2009 by LSIS, this research project was carried out by Amersham and Wycombe College. The project looked to see how science class cover by non-science subject teachers could be improved. Students satisfaction was assessed at the start of the project and again after trialling the cover material. This...

Published in 2009 by LSIS, this report describes research by Paston College. The project was to develop materials to support effective revision in AS level biology study leave. Also to assess the impact of these materials on students' perceptions of study leave and on their exam performance.

‘...

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...

Published in 2009 by LSIS, this report describes a project carried out by St Helens College. The project's aim was to improve the teaching and learning methods used in theory sessions across the STEM subject areas. The vehicle for improvement was in planning, embedding and applying differentiated learning methods...

A Catalyst article about in vitro fertilisation. About one in six couples gets help from specialists because they cannot conceive. One possibility is to use in vitro fertilisation (IVF). ‘In vitro’ means ‘in glass’ and refers to the fact that fertilisation takes place in a laboratory dish or test tube, hence the...

Produced by the Citizen Science project, this pack of resources allows students to learn about and debate the issues around in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Containing teacher notes and student activity sheets, the materials will engage students to think about, express and critically evaluate IVF.

Suitable for...

This lesson shows that pressure in fluids acts in all directions and therefore pushes in all directions on any object floating or submerged in the fluid.

Learning objectives:

Students could: explain why pressure with depth variation for water is different from the variation of pressure with height...