CONASTA: July 2005 1

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Mind the Gap!What can de done to give pupils a
better start in secondary science? Martin
Braund Department of Educational Studies,
University of York, UK 
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UK curriculum transitions and Key Stages

• P primary school S
  secondary school
• NT national test NE
  national examinations
• Foundation Stage (pre 4/5) ? Key Stage 1 (5-7) P
• Key Stage 1 ? Key Stage 2 (7-11 NT) P
• Key Stage 2 ? Key Stage 3 (11-14 NT) S
• Key Stage 3 ? Key Stage 4 (14 16 NE) S
• Key Stage 4 ? Advanced (AS/A2 NEs 16-18) S/FE

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Something had to happen ..

• Lack of progress in science by end of year 9 2/5
  do not progress as expected worse than for
  English and maths (Galton et al., 1999)
• Concentration in Y7 lessons poorer in science
  (Galton et al. 2002)
• Learning (language) gains from Y6 not
  appreciated. Work (experiments) often repeated
  without additional challenge (Jarman, 1993
  Peacock, 1999)
• Pupils expectations of Y7 science very high but
  motivation and interest wane by end of Y7
  (stirring up trouble for the future?) (Galton et
  al., 2003, Braund, 2004)
• Evidence of decline in amount of practical
  science in Y6 (Galton and MacBeath, 2002, ASE,
  2001)

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Performance in KS2 and KS3 SATs compared
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Schools actions to smooth transfer
Source Galton, Gray and Ruddock, DfES 1999
2003
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STAY project in York - Rationale

• Produce bridging units in science reflecting
  best practice
• Written by teachers sharing practice, observing
  teaching, teachers as researchers
• Concentration on Scientific Enquiry (Sc1)
• CPD gains for teachers

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Why Sc1 (Scientific Enquiry)?

• Its the cement that binds science learning
  together
• NC assumes logical and smooth progression but
  this is not always easy to see
• Pupils expect and look forward to lots of
  practical work in science at KS3
• There is evidence that pupils at KS3 repeat
  practical work without extending or advancing
  skills they have already learned
• Teachers still appreciate advice on how to teach
  Sc1

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Key features of bridging unit design

• Bridging units based on commercial contexts felt
  to appeal to pupils of this age. Context led
  approaches to learning improve pupil motivation
  (Bennett et al. 2003).
• Several points of continuity in the teaching from
  Y6 to Y7 built into teaching design e.g. a
  common format for lessons , common methods of
  planning investigations, use of concept cartoons
  and similar ways of introducing practical work to
  pupils (letters).
• A clear emphasis on the procedures of scientific
  enquiry, particularly on aspects of considering
  and evaluating evidence. Reason CPD needs of
  teachers.
• Practical work designed to progress from Y6 to Y7
  in terms of context and procedural and conceptual
  demand. Pupils expect and look forward to using
  more sophisticated equipment and procedures when
  they move on to secondary science (Jarman, 1993,
  Braund and Driver, 2002).

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How effective is bridging work?
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Critique of bridging work

• Breakdown of previously defined school pyramids
  no guarantee that Y7 pupils have done primary
  work.
• Primary teachers and pupils are not very
  enthusiastic about the use of these materials
  after the stresses of SATs.
• Primary teachers may be unwilling or lack time to
  mark work at the necessary depth.
• Some pupils claim they rarely see the work that
  has been transferred or that primary work is only
  referred to at a superficial level and then the
  Y7 teacher returns to business as usual.
• Pupils entering secondary school expect and look
  forward to be doing new things. They want to
  leave their primary experience behind.

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Findings Teachers perceptions

• Noticeably less hostile than previous studies
  predicted
• Its familiarity thats the key knowing they
  (pupils) will be continuing work on Fizzy Drinks
  and that pupils from other schools would be doing
  that too. It allows them to look forward and to
  see a point to their activities.
• (Comment from a Y6 teacher)
• Secondary teachers were rather more sceptical
• Lots of them (pupils) had forgotten what
  theyd done, and many hadnt done it (bridging
  work) in year 6. Not sure how it will help
  transfer not convinced there has even been a
  problem. Some children were bored because they
  felt it was repetitive.
• (comment from a secondary school teacher)

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Findings Pupils perceptions

• Y6 and Y7 very positive about bridging (88 of
  coded responses) pupils believed it helped them
  settle in Y7
• I thought it was useful because you are doing
  something you are familiar with even though there
  were two teachers. It made the Y7 teacher like
  the Y6 teacher and it helped me. They were using
  similar words. (Megan, Y7)
• I think its OK learning because if you like do
  the acids and alkaline you wouldnt really learn
  that in primary school. Youd think oh no Im
  not good at this, but the cola - you actually
  know something about it so you can talk to your
  teacher a bit more about it when you have
  finished it . (Katy, Y7)
• but it helped because I understood it more
  through doing it with my old teacher. I knew not
  to do the same mistakes like measuring stuff
  and that. (Hannah, Y7)

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Findings pupils communication about
investigations

• Traditional areas of weakness in Sc1 such as
  describing relationships and criticising
  reliability of findings were strong features in
  pupils memories
• I remember doing the experiment and looked at our
  results and we had quite a cold one and one that
  was not far apart, and then we realised it was
  unreliable because when we were doing it, the
  table who had it, had a window open and that
  made it colder. (Megan, Y7)

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Findings performance on Sc1 SAT questions
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Is bridging in science a good idea?

• If planned carefully and contexts and progression
  are right
• If secondary teachers are keen, realise the
  necessary progression steps and refer to pupils
  past experiences
• Best practice where primary and secondary
  teachers watched each others teaching
• Danger of bridging unit overload especially
  when taught in English, maths and science
• More flexible approaches paired progression
  tasks valuing and recognising what has been done
  before

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Beyond bridging Pedagogy and Progression

• Assembled a team of 10 interested and talented
  teachers!
• Trained them in KS2/3 progression and continuity
• Devised a framework for producing Scientific
  Enquiry Progression Tasks (SEPTs)
• Tried out SEPT teaching
• Evaluated and refined approaches and activities
• Editing and production of resources
• Further trials and evaluations in York

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Bridging overload??

• Im a bit mixed. I mean you say to us How
  about another transfer unit? Its almost like
  each subject wants the best out of the children -
  but we have to do all 3 (in English, mathematics
  and science). Its hard going. I mean when
  secondary teachers have done their exams its
  like what do they have to do? We finish ours
  (national tests) and then weve got all this
  stuff (bridging work) to do for the secondary
  school.
• Ok, but we had too much to do and we had a big
  sex education unit to do and this really
  suffered. We think its important to do it (the
  sex education unit) well. Design and Technology
  suffered as a result and doing all this bridging
  stuff and this is normally a great unit of work
  for us and them (the pupils).

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Whats in a SEPT?

• Overview and references to NC and QCA and where
  to place them (in a sequence of teaching)
• Expected progression
• In Sc1 process skills
• In science ideas
• Linking forward and linking back
• What the teacher might say
• Lesson plans, teachers notes and pupils
  materials for KS2
• Lesson plans, teachers notes

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Mouldy Old Dough
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The teacher should recognise and value
progression and continuity
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and .. If you want to know more ..

• www.york.ac.uk/depts/educ/projs/STAY/ScienceTransi
  tionProjects
• www.azteachscience.co.uk/code/development/stay.htm
  
• mb40_at_york.ac.uk