Research on teaching

We want to understand how best to support our teaching workforce either directly ourselves or via our policy work. To gain this understanding, we commission research and analysis and use the findings to develop recommendations for improvements, testing them as much as possible, and working with like-minded organisations and the Government.

For instance, in 2009, we commissioned a study of postgraduate training for secondary science teachers. Most secondary science teachers teach outside their science specialism, and we were interested in how trainees acquire subject knowledge and whether there are variations across institutions. The final report, Acquisition of Science Subject Knowledge and Pedagogy in Initial Teacher Training, published in 2011, highlighted the variability in the science content of initial teacher training and was soon followed by much work from the Department for Education examining these issues, some of which the Trust was involved in.

Similarly, in 2011 we collaborated with the National Science Learning Centre on a survey of primary science coordinators (primary school teachers who are responsible for leading science in their schools). The resulting Primary Science Survey Report [PDF 221KB] highlighted the declining status of science and time devoted to it in some primary schools following the removal of external science tests (SATs). This research informed our work to support primary science teaching link to primary focus area page and helped us realise the importance and urgency of this work.

We also research the impact of our own work. In spring 2012 we evaluated ‘Big Picture’, a free magazine for teachers that explores issues around biology and medicine, and is published by Wellcome twice a year. The evaluation used a survey and focus groups, and found the magazine well received. The evaluation report [PDF 2.1MB] also relays useful information for other providers of science education resources.