Boost your knowledge
Find out about professional development opportunities from the RSC and our partners
Develop your subject knowledge
Enzymes make dyeing denim more sustainable
Can researchers find a way to make jeans blue without using toxic chemicals?
Revealing blueberries’ nanostructure
Find out how microscopic, self-assembling particles give blueberries their characteristic blue hue
Beyond the RSC
Education Scotland
Find resources and professional learning opportunities in STEM subjects from Education Scotland
CPD support from the Primary Science Teaching Trust
Explore professional development resources, webinars and support from the Primary Science Teaching Trust.
Reach out CPD
Find out about online CPD from Reach Out CPD. Their courses include topic knowledge and resources for use in class.
Primary CPD from STEM Learning
STEM Learning run online and face to face courses on various aspects of primary science teaching.
Develop your pedagogical content knowledge
Sometimes referred to as ‘subject-specific pedagogy’, pedagogical content knowledge is how you teach your subject: the way in which you share information and engage students.
Pedagogical content knowledge involves:
- understanding students’ misconceptions, how they have arisen and how best to address them
- contextualising content with relevant real-world examples, in order to make the subject more relatable
- effective questioning to make your teaching responsive
By developing your pedagogical content knowledge you will:
- gain a better understanding of primary science
- be able to communicate key concepts and ideas more clearly
- improve your teaching, along with your students’ learning
Contact your local education coordinator
Education coordinators
For all queries relating to education support, networks and outreach activities in your area of the UK and Ireland
More resources
Primary science video demonstrations
Discover a range of demonstrations that you can use to wow your learners and get them thinking about simple chemistry concepts.
Talk for primary science
Explore ways you can encourage constructive conversations and lead children to investigative activities.
Science ideas webs
Embed science learning into your history lessons with these ideas webs. Each web suggests activities for three different age ranges.
Develop your leadership
Primary Science Quality Mark
The Primary Science Quality Mark (PSQM) is a CPD programme which results in an accreditation to evidence and celebrate a primary school’s commitment to science within a broad and balanced curriculum. PSQM provides training, mentoring and support to enable science subject leaders to develop and strengthen their leadership practice, improve all aspects of science teaching and learning and increase the profile of science within their school.
Subject leader self-evaluation tool
PSTT’s subject leader self-evaluation tool will help you evaluate how science is taught across your school and plan to improve it. Find useful resources for important aspects of science teaching such as scientific literacy, differentiation and assessment.
Excellence in Education Prizes
Find out about the RSC’s Excellence in Education Prizes for primary education. There are prizes to recogise both individuals and teams for excellent work in primary education.
PSTT Primary Science Teacher Awards
The Primary Science Teacher Awards are designed to celebrate and reward outstanding primary science teachers. Find out more: including the criteria for awards, how to nominate someone and the benefits of winning an award.