Produced by the Centre for Education and Employment Research (CEER), this report sets out to identify how some schools are increasing participation in post-16 physics whilst the general trend is for a seemingly inexorable decline in physics education. Authors Alan Smithers and Pamela Robinson, looked at A level...

This report, produced by the Centre for Education and Emplyment Research (CEER), looks at specialist physics teacher supply and retention in English schools. Physics is at the sharp end of teacher recruitment. It is the subject that schools find most difficult to staff. Some schools do not teach it, and others that...

This report is provided by the Centre for Education and Employment Research (CEER) at the University of Buckingham is based on a survey of 432 schools and colleges. The report looks at the deployment of teachers and its impact on student outcomes. One finding is that teachers' qualification in physics was the most...

This report, produced by the Centre for Education and Employment Research (CEER), brings together specially commissioned analyses from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and the Higher Education and Statistics Agency (HESA), CEER own database, and data collected by various agencies between 1985...

A Catalyst article about phytoplasmas which are micro-organisms that affect crop plants modifying their growth. The article looks at the damage that they can inflict on crops which in turn can cause famine. Botanists are seeking to counter the effects of phytoplasma disease and the article looks at laboratory...

Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the themes of knowledge and technology transfer and STEM skills for the future. The case study looks at a lecturer in construction and building who engaged in an industrial secondment through the New Engineering Foundation.

Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the themes of knowledge and technology transfer and employer engagement. This case study describes the placement of a lecturer in material sciences who engaged in an industrial secondment through the New Engineering Foundation (NEF...

Produced by the Learning Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), this case study looks at the theme of knowledge and technology transfer. This case study looks at the experiences of three lecturers from Carlisle College’s Technology Department who engaged in a programme of industrial secondments through the New...

A Catalyst article looking at the chemicals that are in plants and trees and the role they play in the life of the plant. Starting with photosynthesis the article moves onto naturally occurring chemicals and explains why plants need fertilisers. Growing salad crops hydroponically is also examined.

This...

A Catalyst article looking at how plants develop large surface areas both in the air (leaves) and in the soil (root hairs) to get all they need from the environment. The article explores the relationship between plants and soil and looks at new research on fungi in soil and their involvement with the mineral...

A Catalyst article about the use of remote telescopes and detecting cosmic rays. Giant telescopes that can be operated remotely are located in Hawaii and Australia and are known as the Faulkes telescopes.

These are available to students in the UK to do original research with, and enable the following...

A Catalyst article discussing how polymers affect every day of people’s lives. With diverse characteristics and applications their usefulness can only be limited by human imagination. Due to polymers’ widespread and varied use a responsible and systematic recycling programme is both economically and environmentally...

A Catalyst article about the problems of recycling plastics. The article looks at novel uses for products made from recycled plastics. It also looks at the make-up of polymers and the history of their manufacture. Finally, alternatives to plastics are examined.

This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science...

This report evaluates the Ponds for Life project undertaken by the wildlife charity Froglife from April 2008 to March 2010. The aim of the project was to promote Hampton Nature Reserve, a former brick pit and now a Site of Special Scientific Interest for great crested newts and bearded stonewort in over 300 ponds....

An article published in 2014 in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching describes the first-year results from a new curricular and professional development intervention. The project was created as a collaboration between a US university and a large urban school district to implement a new fifth grade (...