A Case Study of the Benefits of the Science Learning Partnerships in Early Years and Primary Education in England

Deborah Emily Outhwaite,Jane Banham,Anna Cummings

doi:10.3390/educsci12020107

Deborah Emily Outhwaite, Jane Banham + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12020107

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Journal: Education Sciences	Publication Date: Feb 3, 2022
Citations: 2	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Liverpool

Abstract

This paper charts the recent history of the STEM Learning UK contracts with local Science Learning Partnerships (SLPs) and identifies what leadership has been made available to support the Early Years and Primary school sector. A case study approach is taken using ‘Super SLP’ hubs in England. Curriculum Hubs exist in core subject areas such as maths, English, science and computing. They have recently been expanded to include Behaviour Hubs. This forms the current DfE strategy of Teaching School Hubs (TSHs), i.e., to offer system support and a full career-length support for all stages of teacher-career and leadership development. This paper charts the changes to the Early Years (EY) and Primary teacher support networks, in science particularly, and examines what they provide and how this can be improved, and discusses, through session evaluation and feedback, what teachers have appreciated the most.

Highlights

The development of careers and education in Science, Technology, Engineering andMaths (STEM) is a critical part of any economy
The project has been anonymised, and schools, staff, and Science Learning Partnerships (SLPs) have been given pseudonyms where necessary. This joint collaborative working meant that the leaders involved could share knowledge around schools and whether or not they were part of the Local Authority ‘clusters’ of schools, in particular localities, or were part of Multi-Academy Trusts, and, if so, where their connections were to sustain the development associated with the continuing professional development that was being provided
The Science Subject Leader (SSL) began to understand and feel confident in the role as a science subject leader and was able to describe what high-quality science teaching looked like in order to demonstrate this in the classroom and plan opportunities for team teaching and other staff Continuing Professional Development (CPD)/support

Summary

Introduction

The development of careers and education in Science, Technology, Engineering andMaths (STEM) is a critical part of any economy. The development of careers and education in Science, Technology, Engineering and. In England, the Department for Education (DfE) has helped to fund organisations such as STEM Learning UK [1], in order to help develop the education infrastructure around these scientific subject areas. This paper charts the recent history of the STEM Learning UK contracts with reference to their local Science. The case study in this paper comes from a ‘Super SLP’ acting as one of the Department for Education’s (DfE) Curriculum. These curriculum hubs exist in a number of core subject areas such as maths, English, science and computing. The ‘Golden Threads’ of the system range from Initial Teacher Training and Education (ITTE), through the mentoring of teachers on the Early Career Framework (ECF), to this Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

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