- The Association for Science Education (ASE): The ASE is dedicated to supporting excellence in science teaching and learning and offers a wealth of resources along with training courses, conferences and TeachMeets, weekly Twitter chats, newsletters and free publications. It's a great starting point for all new science teachers, and brilliant for networking and CPD.
- The Institute of Physics (IOP): The IOP offers support to physics teachers at all stages of their teaching career, including those for whom physics is not their specialism, as well as a free trainee teacher affiliation scheme. Resources cover everything from addressing gender balance to lesson ideas, extra-curricular activities, and much more.
- The Royal Society of Biology (RSB): ‘Committed to supporting and encouraging the study of biology at all levels’, the RSB has resources to support teachers and students, including CPD for teachers and free newsletters. Students have ‘a chance to show their brilliance in biology’ through competitions, and local branches often put on events. Look out for Biology Week too!
- The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC): Part of the RSC’s mission is to support chemical sciences in schools. As well as a vast range of resources, the RSC offers your students the ‘opportunity to engage with practising chemists and learn about the application of the chemical sciences in the real world’. Competitions include Top of the Bench for 14–16 year olds.
- STEM Learning: The largest provider of education and careers support in science, technology, engineering and mathematics’, the website is a vast repository of resources, with a strong focus on raising awareness of careers in STEM subjects. It also includes research reports on best practice. You can find out more about the powerful STEM Ambassador scheme here.
- CLEAPSS: The initials no longer stand for anything meaningful, but this organisation supports practical activities in science (and DT and art). Your school probably has membership, as it is the key body providing health and safety advice about labs, equipment and resources, including chemicals. Advice is only a telephone call or email away if your school is a member.
- Biochemical Society: Aiming to support the next generation of biochemists, you can download free resources such as ‘Understanding Biochemistry’, alongside careers information, ideas for hands-on activities and training for running workshops. For those interested in science communication (i.e. all teachers!), there is a Science Communication competition.
- Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET): This is one of the world’s largest engineering institutions and you’ll find teaching resources, free posters, fact files, activity days and project funding. The IET Faraday websites host a collection of curriculum-linked teaching activities such as films of engineering case studies, engineering profiles, and more.
- The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS): Founded in 1820, the RAS ‘encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science’. Resources include career case studies (evenly gender-based) and activity packs. Grants may be available for projects that promote a greater interest in astronomy or geophysics.
- Biophysical Society: Based in Maryland, USA, some of the resources may not quite fit the UK curriculum, but you’ll find a series of useful lesson plans covering biophysical concepts and topics such as diffusion, viscosity, elasticity and experimental error. Lesson plans are in English and Spanish, so remember these if your school ever has a cross-curricular day!
Download all of Sue's 20 recommendations for professional development.
