Her Majesty’s Inspectors visited nine schools and one pupil referral unit that had been judged outstanding for behaviour in their most recent Ofsted inspection to find out about their behaviour policies and to discuss exclusion. The evidence gathered from these visits is presented in this report as good practice...

This resources uses 5 key questions to develop a rationale for assessment within D&T. Through answering each question, the responses are intended to support, challenge or structure department discussions on your own assessment in D&T in your school.

• What does it mean to be a successful student...

This activity sheet is based on the Inventive Podcast.  It introduces electrical engineer Jack Howarth, and links his work to a physics topic. The activity sheet also supports Careers Benchmark 4: Careers in the curriculum by introducing a career and role model. There are also links to short audio clips of Jack...

This report by HM Inspectors begins by outlining the history of the British School Technology (BST), its terms of reference and the extent of the operation in terms of the numbers of teachers trained. Details are given of inspections carried out and a more detailed description of the work carried out by BST at...

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) established an independent Commission on assessment following the Secretary of State’s decision to remove levels and their associated descriptors from the National Curriculum from September 2014. The Commission, comprising a panel of experienced practitioners, met...

The purpose of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Mapping Review, published by the Department for Education in 2004, was broadly to:

• investigate whether STEM initiatives currently being taken forward address the concerns raised about the decline in demand of university places in...

Nottingham Trent University’s Small-Scale Research scheme has been running since 2011.  The scheme funds up to six projects that bring together academics and teachers from partnership schools to research an areas of interest and relevance to the teachers.

For the past four years at least one project has...

Published in late 2013, this report contains the findings of a research study which looked into the use of electronic books (e-books or i-books) within continuous professional development (CPD).

The research looked in particular at the way that teachers on the 2013-14 National STEM Learning Centre and...

These two reports were published by SCORE (Science Community Representing Education), in response to two commissioned reports - Under the Microscope: the...

This review, published in 2012 by the Wellcome Trust, characterises the value of informal science learning to science education in the UK. Focusing on children and young people aged up to 19, the study sought to provide:

* a better understanding of the scope of informal science learning, its theoretical base...

This report, by Dr Alison Wolf and published in March 2011, was commissioned to investigate the state of vocational education for young people aged 14 to 19. It was found that many courses offered very little value, offering no route to further education or prospects for meaningful employment.

Many...

A good report to show senior leaders in order to gain the necessary support to allow students to carry out extended projects and independent research projects (IRP).

The evidence shows gains in students’ learning, improvements in students’ attitudes to science, suggestions that increased numbers are...

Written by Oxford University Centre for Educational Assessment, this March 2009 review of teacher assessment was commissioned by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). The review looked at teacher assessment in practice in a number of countries to see what works best and to consider the implications for...

A Catalyst article comparing mobile phones and UV sunbeds. Mobile phones emit radiofrequency (RF) radiation. Tanning beds emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation. These are both types of non-ionising radiation. In recent years both have received considerable media coverage and they are emotive topics for the general public...

A Catalyst article about the life and work of the physicist Robert Hooke. Hooke was a man of many interests. He invented many mechanical devices, including the universal joint used in all cars and designed a balance wheel for a watch. As part of his wide ranging observations, using a microscope, he first coined the...