Led by NACE Associate Ed Walsh, this course is aimed at secondary science teachers and heads of department who are keen to ensure more able learners are adequately challenged throughout KS4. Delegates will explore recent developments in GCSE courses; approaches to develop higher-order thinking skills; the role of literacy, numeracy and practical work; and effective uses of questioning, assessment and feedback.

This workshop is aimed at:

• Heads of department
• Secondary science teachers

9.00am: Registration and introduction

Session 1

Curriculum outcomes

• The recent developments in GCSE courses have resulted in some challenging assessment items aimed at able learners. Scrutinising these can reveal quite a lot about the many aspects of higher-order outcomes.

Higher-order thinking skills

• Able students need to be able to approach concepts and activities in a variety of ways, combining ideas and making connections. This session will look at some examples of ways to develop these skills.

Coffee

Session 2

Role of literacy and numeracy

• What should the role of literacy and numeracy be? Can we assume that able learners in science will have a better grasp of these and what should the teaching of these skills look like?

Role of practical work

• Able students in KS4 obviously need to do the required practicals but what outcomes should we be expecting from them? What is the wider role of practical work and how can it be used to support the mastery of concepts and processes?

12.45pm: Lunch

Session 3

Questioning

• Different teachers use questioning in different ways – what will support able learners more effectively and how does this relate to assessment practices?

Assessment and feedback

• Students should know how to improve and assessment should also provide feedback to teachers about which aspects of provision are effective. How can this be done so that it is useful without being onerous?

Action planning and next steps

• Identifying how ideas gathered and developed can then be used to make an impact upon practice

3.30pm: Close