Narrowing the Attainment Gap - Helping Disadvantaged Students to Thrive in Science (Secondary)

Joint Primary and Secondary Science Teacher Conference.

Join us for a full day of workshops, including a tour of the facilities at the fantastic Astra Zeneca site in Cambridge.

Workshops confirmed so far include:

Keynote: To Narrow The Gap, We Need a Map – Thinking About Student Thinking (James de Winter)

Knowing what students think about a scientific idea is critical for teachers but that just tells us where to start. Drawing from work on alternative conceptions, diagnostic questioning and what we know about students thinking and learning in science, this session aims to offer ways for teachers to consider what to do next and support students to (re)construct their understanding. The session will include examples and resources from across the primary and secondary curriculum.

1) Science Capital Approach (Jamie Mayville)

Learn simple, evidence based techniques to engage your students, increase results and uptake at A level sciences by making simple tweaks to your already existing teaching practice. This is done through inclusive, local based contexts to your lessons so that students can not only see the purpose of their learning, but also how it is applicable to their own individual, local everyday lives.

2) Adaptive strategies in the Science classroom (Claire Ruthven)

During this workshop we will discuss the obstacles some students face when learning Science and what we can do as practitioners to help overcome these barriers.  We will share and evaluate tried and tested strategies and resources to use in the classroom to ensure that our Science curriculum is accessible to all students. Consider how you can use the ideas shared in your own setting with your own classes. 

3) Disciplinary Language (Lisa Mooney)

This session is designed to help teachers support their students with the words and phrases they need for GCSE science exams. It includes practical tips and strategies to help students speak and write about science clearly and confidently. 

4) SEND in GCSE Practical Science (Melanie Marshall)

The aim of this session is to support inclusion in assessment and reflect on how adaptations to curriculum delivery can support all learners to succeed in terminal assessments, regardless of their individual need.