The April 2021 and February 2023 reviews from Ofsted highlighted several aspects of Science education for subject leaders to pay attention to, including focusing on pupils’ progression of knowledge and skills, ensuring that teachers have sufficient in-depth subject knowledge, and allowing time for pupils to revise topics regularly. Leading Science in line with Ofsted’s key messages can, therefore, be challenging and requires some fundamental skills and knowledge. 

You will also need to ensure you stay on top of modern teaching methods, keep up with developments in science, and have the ability to mentor staff. Your role is crucial when it comes to keeping track of and guiding pupils’ development. It might all sound a bit daunting, but support is available to help you develop your skills. This blog will provide more information on the role and challenges of a Science subject leader as well as ways to help you succeed.  

Curriculum knowledge and balancing theory with practice

Ofsted has emphasised that Science is not just about ‘exploring’, as learning can be diluted without clear direction. A Science subject leader needs to understand how factual  (substantive) and ‘working scientifically’ (disciplinary) knowledge interlink in primary Science education In other words, it’s about combining theoretical knowledge with practical hands-on experience and progression in both. 

Staff mentoring

Empowering all staff to be confident teachers is important to developing a high standard of Science across your school. Resources such as CPD videos can help teachers to improve their knowledge of Science. They can also help ensure teachers are well-equipped to deliver lessons that provide a deep understanding of scientific principles and can explain these principles using scientific terminology. 

Continuous learning and improvement

Staying on top of both modern teaching methods and scientific advancements is paramount to education. Teacher resources can help you and your staff keep up to date with teaching methods and learning styles. For pupils, it is important to have opportunities for regular revision to ensure they have understood their lessons before moving on to the next topic. This helps with pupils’ progression of knowledge and skills. 

Effective use of resources

Another main challenge faced by subject leaders is ensuring the effective use of resources for supporting enquiry and running experiments without compromising on the quality of teaching. You could use a tool to help, such as Kapow Primary’s ‘enquiry cycle’, which summarises the key steps in all types of enquiry. The teacher and pupil videos help with troubleshooting, provide easy-to-follow methods and can be used as a backup alternative to running experiments. This will provide flexibility for you and your staff whenever you need it with regard to the availability of resources.  

How Kapow Primary can help you in your subject leader role?

Our Science scheme ensures primary school teachers have the resources to delve deep into topics and provide clarity and depth in their lessons, integrating core knowledge and ‘working scientifically’ skills. We offer CPD videos and resources to help increase teachers’ subject knowledge, provide definitions of scientific vocabulary, address common misconceptions and show how to run scientific enquiries effectively and purposefully. 

The scheme also includes progression documents, which give comprehensive coverage to help you guide your team effectively in growing pupils’ skills over time and to align with the expectations of the national curriculum.

The lesson plans incorporate up-to-date teaching methods and provide a range of activities that cater to different learning styles. Our ‘Science in action’ learning objectives delve into current scientific thinking, bridging classroom learning with real-world relevance and application.

Kapow Primary recognises the importance of regular revision to embed knowledge and has structured its resources accordingly:

• ‘Making Connections’ units: These unique units interlink with previous topics, providing pupils with invaluable opportunities to revisit and consolidate their previous learning. 
• Knowledge organisers: These are central to our revision strategy, as they summarise the core content of each unit, serving as an efficient reference tool for pupils. Integrated into lessons, they are frequently used in revision activities, ensuring pupils regularly refresh and reinforce their grasp of essential concepts.

Kapow Primary’s Science scheme provides in-depth support to help subject leaders develop scientific enquiry skills that align practical tasks with the objectives of the curriculum. This ensures that hands-on activities aren’t just about ‘doing’ but are about reinforcing and expanding upon theoretical learning.

To aid revision, each Kapow Primary unit has a quiz and a skills & knowledge catcher for pupils. These tools allow teachers to regularly assess pupil progress, ensuring that knowledge learned in both theoretical and practical lessons is retained effectively.

The tools we provide allow pupils to revisit and refine specific ‘working scientifically’ skills throughout each key stage, embedding deeper understanding and ability.

To help with resource management, we offer: 

• Tailored experiments – where possible, easily accessible classroom equipment is used. This approach simplifies preparation for teachers and makes Science more approachable and feasible.
• Development of skills through the use of specialised equipment – recognising the importance of hands-on skills, Kapow Primary’s scheme incorporates the use of certain specialised science equipment, such as thermometers. This ensures pupils develop necessary skills in line with educational standards.
• Comprehensive equipment lists – to further ease the planning and execution process, Kapow Primary provides detailed lists of required equipment. These lists are available at a unit level in the key documents and within each lesson plan.

Summary

The role of a primary Science leader is multifaceted, encompassing both a deep understanding of the subject matter and the skills to mentor and guide fellow teachers. The challenges highlighted by Ofsted’s key messages are met head-on with Kapow Primary’s comprehensive resources and support. Addressing key areas such as curriculum knowledge, mentoring, progression tracking, and resource management, Kapow Primary ensures that leaders have the tools they need to excel. By integrating Kapow Primary into their strategy, subject leaders can confidently drive forward, ensuring every pupil receives an exemplary Science education.