PRIMARY SCIENCEEducation Consultancy

Primary Science Quality Mark

Funded by the Wellcome Trust

The Primary Science Quality Mark Calendar- schools

Sept 2011 By end of Oct 2011

By end of Dec 2011

April 2012 June 2012 May 2013

Initial PD session

Audit of current practice against PSQM criteria, decide on level

Complete action plan. Upload to PSQM web site

Implement action plan. Evidence collection ongoing

Second PD session for schools

Submit reflections with supporting evidence evidence

Award ceremony

Mentoring

The PSQM calendar 2011-12

Management and communication

Steering group

PSQM management ASE/SLC/LA

PSQM hubs

Max 10 schools per hub• Each pay £500 for registration, two days training, mentoring, web site access and award.

Hub leader appointment and training 9 Regional SLCs

Monitoring of PSQM courses

OPERATIONALQUALITY ASSURANCE Wellcome Trust funding

School registration fee

In kind support

Small schools programme

Monitoring of Mentoring

Accreditation and awarding process

Regular external evaluation

• Attend PSQM professional development sessions• Carry out an initial audit, action plan, and collection of

evidence• Take responsibility for uploading evidence for

submission that meets the criteria• Act on identified points for development following

feedback• Inform the Hub Leader/Mentor and/or PSQM™ team of

any change in circumstances that is relevant to their progress and their award.

School subject leader responsibilities

Hub leader role and responsibilities

• Recruit schools• Inform regional SLC of participating schools and development arrangements• Lead minimum of two PSQM professional development sessions per hub per year• Inform the PSQM management team of any change in circumstances that will affect them working as a

hub leader• Submit tracking document which will trigger payments• Monitor and /or carry out mentoring of subject leaders – communicate with the Science Subject Leader via the online message facility and encourage them

during the process;– give feedback on the Subject leader’s action plan– monitor the Science Subject Leader’s progress against their action plan and provide constructive

feedback;– communicate regularly with the Hub Leader and/or PSQM™ centre co-ordinator;– inform the Hub Leader and/or PSQM™ centre co-ordinator of any relevant issues and difficulties

experienced by the Science Subject Leader that they are unable to resolve themselves;– attend and participate in regular professional development and Quality Assurance meetings, nominally 2

meetings per year– review submissions from another hub

The PSQM criteria Criteria

Key Questions

Pre-award

Bronze level

Silver level

Gold level

Questions

Subject management

A1

A2

A3

A4

A5

Teachers & teaching

B1

B2

B3

Pupils & learning

C1

C2

C3

Broader opportunities

D1

D2

PSQM SILVER

PSQM Bronze

PSQM GOLD

7

The award levels

Gathering evidence for the criteria

How and where would you find evidence of impact towards these criteria?

1. PSQM action plan 2. Principles of teaching science in your school- “We know that good science occurs in our school when…” 3. CV of science coordinator 4. List of CPD activities of science coordinator and other members of staff also5. School Development Plan: sections that have relevance to science 6. Sample portfolio of annotated medium and short term planning including children’s work

Bronze Award- from science subject leader’s classSilver Award- from 3 classes taken from across the schoolGold Award – from 5 classes taken from across school

7. Calendar of science events in school (assemblies, outings, science days and weeks, visits, visiting speakers, activity days)8. Record of events that reach outside the school – Compulsory in Gold only9. ASE membership

PSQM Core documents

Using the PSQM web site

www.psqm.org.uk

PSQM Tasks

Developing principles of science teaching

We know good science teaching and learning happens when ....

• When children can discover for themselves through trial and error (risk taking, designing own investigations, answering own questions, solving own problems)

• When children use scientific vocabulary • When teachers are confident about what they are teaching• When children talk, ask questions share ideas, explain• When children are inspired to do and know more, transfer knowledge• When children work in groups• When children are working practically• When children are engaged, excited, involved• When there is sufficient time. When children don’t want to stop• When teachers use analogies, make models• When children can remember

Pupil voice

• How can you find out what your pupils think about science?

• How do you respond?

The role of the subject leader

• Rank the cards in diamond formation according to which have the most impact on children’s learning.