Leading Debate: 21 Years of the National Curriculum for Science
In July 2010, 21 years after the National Curriculum was first introduced, the Wellcome Trust convened a seminar to reflect on the impact of the National Curriculum for science. Presented in this report are views that emerged from the seminar where delegates considered the National Curriculum’s initial development and subsequent…
Evaluation of the Wellcome Trust Camden STEM Initiative
This report, published in March 2012 by the National Foundation for Educational Research, presents the findings of an evaluation of the Wellcome Trust’s Camden Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Initiative which provided funding to eight Camden schools to develop interdisciplinary projects. Projects…
Darwin Education Initiative
Published by the Wellcome Trust in January 2011, this report provides the findings from the final stage of the evaluation of the Darwin Education Initiative. It includes the findings from follow-up interviews with case study schools which explored the continued use of the Great Plant Hunt and Survival Rivals materials. Of specific…
Creative Encounters: Feasibility Study for a Touring Exhibition to Promote Creative Learning in Science
Published by the Wellcome Trust in 2007, this report is the product of a feasibility study for a touring exhibition to promote creative learning in science. The study involved: • Evaluating the Trust's objectives for such an exhibition and making recommendations on the feasibility of meeting these objectives (and advising…
Primary Science in the UK: a Scoping Study
The Wellcome Trust commissioned this research in May 2004. The Graduate School of Education at Queen’s University Belfast and the Science Department of St Mary’s University College Belfast carried out the work. The Wellcome Trust was seeking to establish an overview of the current status of primary science in the UK…
Primary Science Survey Report
This report presents the findings of an online survey during July 2011 for The Wellcome Trust. The survey asked primary school teachers for their views on the status of primary science, the opportunities available to their students and themselves as professionals, and how these things may have changed since the removal of SATs in…
Subject Choice In STEM: Factors Influencing Young People (Aged 14-19) in Education
The Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Coordinating Centre (EPPICentre) was commissioned by the Wellcome Trust to undertake this systematic review of research about subject choice. The main aim of the review was to examine the factors that influence the STEM subject choices of young people (14-19 years) in education…
Teaching of Social and Ethical Issues Arising From Developments in Biomedical Research
This research, commissioned by the Wellcome trust, was undertaken by an interdisciplinary team led by Ralph Levinson and Dr Sheila Turner at the Institute of Education, University of London between May 1st and December 1st 1999. The project reports on five main areas: • The perceived importance amongst teachers (especially…
Big Picture Teaching Resources: Evaluation Report
This report, commissioned by the Wellcome Trust, evaluates Big Picture, its free publication on bioscience, and explores ways in which it could be developed. It was hoped that this summary of the main findings would be of use to other organisations developing materials for teachers and students, particularly those interested in offering…
Reports on Educational Issues
A selection of downloadable reports, commissioned by the Wellcome Trust, on issues in science education including science and society, continuing professional development, national curriculum primary science and Key Stage Two assessment. The five reports featured are: • National Primary Science Survey (England) In-service…