The aim of this bibliography is to provide a ready point of access to a number of publications, references and websites that should be of interest and value to Curriculum Leaders in Science. This bibliography has existed for some time as part of the resources provided to participants in the SSERC course Leading for Excellence in Science. It is now being made available more widely as part of the Leadership Pages on the SSERC web site for those who may have not attended the leadership course as well as regularly updating it for those who have.

SSERC Leadership Publications

  • The Excellent Science Department: A guide to its leadership and self-evaluation, SSERC, 2014

The Excellent Science Department provides a ready point of reference on key aspects of leading a school science subject department or science faculty. A copy can be accessed here.

  • Evidence Based Education: A guide for teachers considering carrying out their own school based research, SSERC, 2016

Part of the Topics in Leadership series, Evidence Based Education aims to encourage teachers to base their practice on gathering evidence on what works best to improve learning and teaching. A copy can be accessed here.

  • Quality Assuring a Science Curriculum, SSERC, 2017

Part of the Topics in Leadership series, Quality Assuring a Science Curriculum is based on Scientific Literacy and Curriculum for Excellence to provide a set of tools and resources from which teachers can develop systems to improve the quality of their science curriculum. A copy can be accessed here.

  • The Modern Science Teacher: A guide for new and recently qualified teachers, SSERC, 2013

Designed to support the professional growth of science teachers, The Modern Science Teacher is relevant to all science teachers irrespective of their level of experience. It seeks to provide a ready reference point on the key aspects of science learning and teaching to be taken into account in the 21st century. A copy can be accessed here.

Black Box Assessment for Learning Series Publications

  • Science inside the Black Box, King’s College, 2004
  • Inside the Black Box, King’s College, 1998
  • Assessment for Learning, Beyond the black box, The Assessment Reform Group, 1999
  • Working inside the black box – Assessment for learning in the classroom, King’s College, 2002.
  • Inside the Black Box of Assessment, King’s College, 2013

These five Black Box booklets remain the definitive starting resources for thinking about Assessment is for Learning (AifL).

Recommended Books

  • Safeguards in the School Laboratory, 11th Edition, ASE, 2006

Safeguards in the School Laboratory is a concise and expert account of the best safety advice available.

  • Making Sense of Secondary Science – Research into children’s ideas, Rosalind Driver, Ann Squires, Peter Rushworth, Valerie Wood-Robinson, Routledge, London 1994

Making Sense of Secondary Science provides a summary of the research on the misconceptions learners have about science and how to take these ideas into account in learning and teaching.

  • The New Psychology of Leadership – Identity, Influence and Power, S. Alexander Haslam, Stephen D. Reicher and Michael J. Platow, Psychology Press, East Sussex, 2011.

The New Psychology of Leadership is not simply about getting people to do things; it is about getting them to want to do things. It is about achieving influence, not securing compliance.

  • Science Inside the Black Box – Assessment for learning in the science classroom, Paul Black and Christine Harrison, GL Assessment, London, 2004

Science Inside the Black Box offers advice to science teachers on using assessment to promote students’ learning rather than to provide test scores.

Education Scotland HMI Publications

There are two subsections of publications here: School Inspection and Self Evaluation.

School Inspection

  • Letter to Directors of Education
  • Head teacher briefing note secondary (make sure this is the current edition!)
  • Self evaluation form secondary
  • Head teacher briefing note independent schools

Self Evaluation

  • How good is our school? 4th edition  (hgios4), 2015
  • How good is OUR school? Part 1 (learner participation), 2018
  • How good is OUR school? Part 2 (learner participation), 2018
  • Science a Portrait of Current Practice in Scottish Schools, 2008
  • The Sciences 3-18, 2013 update
  • The Sciences 3-18 Key Strengths and Aspects for Development, 2013 update
  • The Sciences 3-18 Summary for children and young people, 2013 update
  • The Sciences 3-18 Good practice examples, 2013
  • STEM self evaluation and improvement framework, 2017
  • STEM self evaluation and improvement framework, Summary, 2017
  • Quality and Improvement in Scottish Education 2012-2016, 2017

Education Scotland CfE Publications

There are two subsections that fall under this category: CfE Briefing Papers and CfE Science Publications

CfE Briefing Papers

  • CfE Briefing 1 – Broad General Education in the Secondary School, 2012
  • CfE Briefing 6 – Progression from the Broad general education to the Senior Phase, 2012
  • CfE Briefing 7 – Learning in the Senior Phase, 2012
  • CfE Briefing 8 – Curricular Planning at the Senior Phase, 2013
  • CfE Briefing 11 – Planning for Learning through the Broad general education, 2013
  • Progression from the Broad general education to the Senior Phase – updated guidance
  • Curriculum for Excellence through Outdoor Learning, 2010

CfE Science Publications

  • CfE Briefing 15: Sciences for all, 2013
  • Sciences, Principles and Practice, 2009
  • Concept Development in the Sciences, 2010
  • Sciences, Experiences and Outcomes, 2009
  • Sciences Benchmarks, 2017

Science Survey Publications

  • 2007 Scottish Survey of Achievement (SSA) Science, Science Literacy and Core Skills, The Scottish Government, 2008
  • Trends in International Maths and Science Survey (TIMSS) 2007, Highlights from Scotland’s Results, The Scottish Government, 2008
  • Preparing for the transfer from school and college science and mathematics education to UK STEM higher education: A ’state of the nation’ report, the Royal Society, 2011
  • Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2015, Highlights from Scotland’s Results, The Scottish Government, 2016
  • Science and Mathematics Education, 14 – 19, the Royal Society, 2008
  • Science and Mathematics Education, 5–14: A ’state of the nation’ report, the Royal Society, 2010
  • Public Attitudes to Science, Ipsos MORI Social Research Institute, 2014

Other Wider Science Education Publications

  • Working with big Ideas of Science Education, Wynne Harlen (editor), The Inter Academy Partnership, 2015
  • STEM Education and Training Strategy for Scotland, The Scottish Government, 2017
  • Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education Committee (STEMEC) Report, 2016
  • Scotland’s Digital Future – supporting the transition to a world-leading digital economy, The Scottish Government, 2013
  • Vision for Science and Mathematics Education, The Royal Society, 2014
  • The Scientific Century: securing our future prosperity, the Royal Society, 2010
  • Making Maths Count – Transforming Scotland into a Maths Positive Nation, The final Report of the Making Maths Count Group, 2016
  • Professional Reflections: International perspectives on science teachers’ continuing professional development, National Science Learning Centre, 2010
  • Review of the Contribution of the Scottish Science Centres Network to Formal and Informal Science Education, HMIe, 2007
  • SSERC’s Support for Science Education in Scotland through CPD: External Evaluation Final Report, SSERC, 2011
  • Tough Choices – The real reasons A-level students are steering clear of science and maths, A T Kearney Inc./Your Life, 2016
  • Subject Choices in Schools – Education and skills committee, 2019

Practical Science Work Publications

  • Analysing practical activities to assess and improve effectiveness, Robin Millar, University of York, 2009
  • Good Practical Science, The Gatsby Charitable Foundation, 2017

Gender and STEM publications

  • Looking at Gender Balance in STEM Subjects at School, Education Scotland, 2015
  • Improving Gender Balance, Institute of Physics,
  • Improving Gender Balance Scotland (Resources)
  • Opening Doors – A guide to good practice in countering gender stereotyping in schools, Institute of Physics, 2015
  • What sort of girl wants to study physics after the age of 16? Findings from a large scale UK survey, Tamjid Mujtaba and Michel J Reiss, 2013
  • Tapping all our talents, A progress review of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in Scotland, The Royal Society of Edinburgh, 2018

General Education Publications

  • Empowering Teachers, Parents and Communities to Achieve Excellence and Equity in Education – A Governance review, The Scottish Government, 2016
  • Delivering Excellence and Equity in Scottish Education – A delivery Plan for Scotland,  The Scottish Government, 2016
  • National Improvement Framework for Scottish Education – Achieving Excellence and Equity, The Scottish Government, 2016
  • Improving Schools in Scotland – An OECD Perspective, 2015
  • Education Working for All!!! – Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce Final Report (The Wood Report), 2014
  • Teaching Scotland’s future: report of a review of teacher education in Scotland (author G. Donaldson), The Scottish Government, 2010
  • Continuing to Build Excellence in Teaching: The Scottish Government’s Response To Teaching Scotland’s Future, The Scottish Government, 2011

Useful Websites