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What would it mean to put environmental sustainability at the heart of education? This article describes a process of inclusive, participatory manifesto-making to identify young people’s (aged 16-18 years) and teachers’ priorities for education for environmental sustainability across the UK. Drawing on analysis of qualitative data from over 200 teachers and young people who participated in futures and visualisation workshops, we identify key educational priorities at the levels of classroom, school, community and policy, based on consensus between teacher and youth perspectives. Whilst consensus-seeking comes with a risk of favouring ‘soft’ actions which reinforce unsustainable practices and systems, the process of identifying more desirable futures and immediate barriers, which must be negotiated to reach them, has the potential to create spaces for more critical pedagogies and practices. There is a need for policy makers and school leaders to recognise the interests of teachers and young people to enable greater participation in decision making at different scales, and to ensure that those with the greatest capacity bear their burden of responsibility for education for environmental sustainability.

The paper provides a first person account of participant evaluation research of curriculum innovation in a school serving students with profound learning difficulties. It describes how the aspirations of the school leadership team to introduce science, combined with advisory support, overcame the initial anxiety of teaching staff about teaching an unfamiliar subject. The staff position was transformed and they gave a very positive evaluation of their experiences of teaching science, due to the impact of the subject on their students. The introduction of a distinct and inclusive model of science into the curriculum was ultimately found to have significant benefits for both students and staff.

Policies on inclusion are being increasingly embedded within education systems and teacher education across the world, with schools and teachers called upon to add ‘inclusion’ to their already large set of skills and tasks. There is, however, no consistent definition of what inclusion means or how it can be best promoted. The purpose of this paper is to explore the dilemmas that student teachers face when they encounter policy requirements to practice inclusion, and how they mediate the tensions. Drawing on two exploratory studies with science student teachers in two Initial Teacher Education programmes in England, we focus on the conceptions of inclusion held by the student teachers and the links between inclusion and teacher education. Our findings suggest that conventional understandings in relation to ability still dominate, with ability-based differentiation viewed as the key teaching strategy to promote inclusion. In addition, student teachers find themselves having to negotiate contradictory and often conflicting approaches to inclusion, diversity, and academic attainment. The discrepancies highlighted by this study have implications for how teacher education courses need to be organised to promote the practice of inclusion.

The article describes research into the factors that facilitate a smooth transition for young women with High Functioning Autism (HFA) as they move between secondary school and Sixth form or Further Education (FE) College. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with four young women with HFA and, additionally, with four members of education staff responsible for supporting young women with HFA, across a variety of school and FE settings. This research revealed that transition planning focuses almost exclusively on academic progression and is likely to be an ad hoc collection of arrangements, which places an undue burden of organisation upon parents and carers. The data suggests that, in order for transition to be successful, it needs to be systematically planned over an extended time period and to take into account the social, organisational, employment and residential elements which affect an individual's educational experience. The evidence also points to the importance of 'taster' experiences to inform decisions and prepare students for impending change. The final recommendation arising is that support for these students should continue to be sustained after transition points, being reduced only as the students settle into their new environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The face of Modern Foreign Language education (MFL) in Scotland is changing. A major shift was marked by the Scottish Government’s policy, ‘Language Learning in Scotland: A 1+2 Approach’ (2011a), setting out the aspiration that all students up to the end of third level education in Scottish schools will have the opportunity to learn not one but two languages, in addition to their mother tongue. Over the last twenty years there has been, concurrently, an undertaking by the Scottish government, in a series of policy documents, committing to provision that will ensure that students with additional support needs (ASN) receive equality of access to a broad and balanced education. This paper draws upon policy documents and published research in the area to review the extent to which the vision of language learning of all has been made available to students with ASN, and the documented benefits associated with MFL education for those with ASN. Drawing upon case studies of inclusive MFL pedagogies, it identifies successful strategies that can be deployed by teachers. It then considers some of the mechanisms by which the current gaps in provision have arisen and proposes possible remedial steps, drawing on both an analysis of policy and case studies of effective practice.

Teacher and support staff perceptions of science learning, and specifically engagement with science outreach, by pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) were ascertained through questionnaires. The responses indicated that science is seen as serving distinctive learning purposes when undertaken by learners with SEND. Staff who accompanied SEND pupils to science outreach events expressed more positive views about separate outreach events for SEND pupils than other respondents, in line with current policy expectations of differentiated classroom practice. The desire for different provision for SEND learners also appeared to be associated with the staffs’ pastoral concerns about their pupils and their reluctance to let their pupils ‘fail’. The data suggests that, despite policy and legislative reform in the UK, curriculum science is still viewed primarily as a means to career progression for an able minority, rather than as an educational and cultural entitlement for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis project undertaken in the context of a historic visitor site is described. The project offered different types of opportunity for scientific working, and involved four distinct groups of participants. Two distinguishing features of the different groups of participants were their primary motivation for engagement with the activity, and their level of previous engagement with formal science education. Participants in different parts of the project were assessed as to their level of science capital (Archer et al., 2015). Drawing upon engagement theory, the observable behaviours were used as an indicator of engagement and then categorised according to Pearson's (2010) taxonomy. The analysis showed that learner engagement was exhibited at different levels by the different categories of participants, with higher levels of engagement exhibited by participants with a higher level of science capital. Although there was general correlation between the level of science capital and the proportion of higher engagement learning behaviours, one group of participants deviated from this trend. The findings indicate that the level of science capital is a key determinant of engagement and associated learning behaviours, but did not completely account for participants’ engagement in the science outreach activity.

Looking at the extent to which the notion of inclusive practice, with specific reference to provision for SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) but also at social inclusion more widely, has impacted upon science teaching, and explore some of the barriers which continue to prevail in science education.

Early years science education is not science, but a curricular construction designed to induct young children into a range of ideas and practices related to the natural world. While inquiry-based learning is an important approach to this, it is not of itself unique to science and there are a range of logico-mathematical constructions that come closer to the essence of science. In this paper we discuss just three: empirical question-asking, transgressive play, and good thinking. The challenge, of course is to induct early years practitioners to a different way of shaping early science.

This article draws on research in one teacher education course in England and examines the ways in which the programme prepares student-teachers for inclusive practice in science teaching. We frame our analysis by drawing on aspects of institutional mediation of official policy in teacher education, as well as theories around inclusion and critical pedagogy. Using data from official sources, lecture material, and interviews, we argue that in order to achieve real inclusion in teacher education programmes, we need pedagogies of praxis that move beyond (and sometimes against) the official policy definitions of inclusion, and draw instead on a more critical approach to the formation of future professionals. This work was supported by the Swedish Research Council for travel [Research project 2012–2015 (5509)].

In response to a concern about the persistent underachievement in exams of Chemistry students in one school, a pilot study was carried out to see if mentoring-style intervention could improve exam performance. Individual personalised interviews were offered to a class, during which support for the development of the skills and subject knowledge for exam success was given. Student feedback indicated that they felt the individual support had assisted with their learning, but the benefit was not borne out by a statistically significant improvement in their exam results. Students reported that the gains were extended into other Science subjects, although again, this was not demonstrable from the analysis of exam results. Despite not giving a significant improvement in marks, mentoring was popular with students. The study points to a number of other, less easily quantifiable, gains that might enhance students' academic success in the medium term. The findings do, however, also raise questions as to whether mentoring represents an efficient use of resources for the purpose of raising attainment.

We present detailed femtosecond transient absorption measurements and quantum chemical calculations on the energetics and photophysics of even-parity excited states in phenylene oligomers. The role of these states on exciton dissociation processes is discussed.

Introduction People who have advanced metastatic cancer or a poor performance status are unlikely to survive a cardiac arrest. In May 2010, the Scottish Government published the National DNACPR Integrated Adult policy with the aim of reducing unsuccessful attempts at resuscitation by improving decision making and communication about DNACPR decisions. Our study aimed to assess the success of policy implementation in NHS Tayside. Methods A prospective casenote audit was performed for all patients admitted within a 30 day period to four clinical areas in Tayside; oncology, cardiology, MFE (medicine for the elderly) and Cornhill Macmillan Centre (hospice). Information obtained included diagnosis, past medical history, performance status, presence of a DNACPR form, patient outcome and whether completion and transfer of the form adhered to policy guidance. Results 18% (5/27) of patients in Cornhill and 23% (7/30) of patients in oncology were admitted with a DNACPR form but none to cardiology (0/52) or MFE (0/24). During admission forms were present or completed in 92% (25/27) of patients from Cornhill, 78% (23/30) from oncology,19% (10/52) from cardiology and 29% (7/24) from MFE respectively. A significant proportion of patients without a form had metastatic cancer or poor performance status. Of patients discharged or transferred, the DNACPR form went with the patient in 100% of patients from Cornhill, 4% from oncology but none from cardiology or MFE. The form was either left in the notes, sent to the GP or the decision was reversed on discharge. Conclusion DNA CPR forms are being completed appropriately for many patients in the acute setting in Tayside, however many patients are not sent home with the forms despite the chances of surviving a cardiac arrest being negligible. Improvement in decision making and communication of DNACPR decisions with the patient, family and other professionals is required.

When beginning teachers commence teaching in a classroom in initial teacher education (ITE), they commonly find it a challenge simply to plan basic lessons. They are likely to give pupils access to all learning outcomes but are unlikely to respond to individual pupils or to offer rich learning experiences (see Chapter 6 on lesson planning). Instead, beginning teachers are likely to focus on teaching essential content and establishing classroom routines. The next phase of practice involves planning and teaching lessons which are differentiated to meet the needs of the full range of pupils, learning which is stimulating and achieves diverse outcomes, underpinned by confident classroom management (see Chapter 7, pp.xx). This transition gives a beginning teacher rewarding new insights into their ability to support high quality learning and enables them to witness the full capabilities of their pupils. How a mentor might support this post-basic professional growth further is considered in this chapter. A set of practical mentoring strategies to support a beginning teacher to use differentiated forms of extension practices and to enrich their planning practices are presented in the context of two case studies. The process of helping a beginning teacher to implement enrichment practices is discussed, in detail, against current models of mentoring (Maynard & Furlong, 1995, Clutterbuck (2004) and Katz (1995); outlined in some detail in Chapter 1).