Teaching for understanding in science classrooms: government response

This thematic report is written in response to a request for advice from the Welsh Government in their remit letter to Estyn for 2025 to 2026.

The report focuses on the teaching and learning of science in primary, secondary and all-age schools in Wales across the 7 to 16 age range. The aim of the report is to provide an insight into the strengths and areas for improvement in how schools plan for and teach science. It highlights examples of effective practice in the schools visited and provides support for teachers and leaders to evaluate their schools’ provision for science as part of Curriculum for Wales.

The report highlights examples of effective practice in the primary and secondary phases, where schools have designed a coherent science curriculum, strengthened subject expertise and supported learners to deepen their understanding of scientific concepts over time. 

However, across the schools visited, the quality of provision for science is inconsistent. In too many cases, weaknesses in curriculum design, teaching and assessment limit learners’ progress, particularly in developing secure conceptual understanding and scientific reasoning. Arrangements to support progression between the primary and secondary phases are often underdeveloped, leading to repetition, gaps in learning and uneven challenge.

The report evaluates 4 key areas. Brief summaries of which are as follows:

Science in the primary phase

Most primary schools deliver engaging science with clear progression and real-world contexts. However, in some schools, low subject status, weak progression planning, and underdeveloped assessment limit learners’ understanding of scientific concepts and progress over time.

Science in the secondary phase

Most secondary schools structure science by discipline, supporting coverage and exams, with strong teaching building understanding. However, weaker planning, limited time, staffing issues, and poor primary collaboration hinder progression and consistency, particularly in Years 7 to 9.

Understanding progression in science

Across phases, only some schools plan progression effectively through shared approaches. In a majority, weak progression planning, reactive handling of misconceptions, and inconsistent assessment limit understanding of how learners’ knowledge develops over time.

Leading and improving science

Strong leadership improves science through prioritisation, protected time and professional learning. However, many schools focus too much on provision over impact, while staffing shortages, especially in Welsh-medium settings, continue to affect quality and consistency.

The common message throughout the four key areas is that inconsistent planning, limited assessment, and staffing or capacity challenges lead to variable learner experiences and hinder the development of deep scientific understanding over time.

Recommendations for Schools

Recommendation 1

Improve the quality of teaching in science by strengthening teachers’ pedagogical subject knowledge.

Recommendation 2

Strengthen curriculum planning to ensure that science learning is coherent, enabling pupils to build their knowledge and understanding systematically over time while developing independence, scientific reasoning and deeper conceptual understanding.

Recommendation 3

Strengthen leadership and improvement processes in science so that leaders evaluate the impact of provision on pupils’ learning and ensure that there is enough time, expertise and support allocated to the subject.

Recommendation 4

Strengthen collaboration between primary and secondary colleagues to agree and implement shared curricular expectations in science, improving coherence, progression and continuity in pupils’ learning.

Welsh Government response

Local Authorities hold responsibility for local school improvement arrangements. However, we do have grant-funded programmes which will support practitioners to strengthen their pedagogical subject knowledge and Dysgu also has a role in supporting the continued development of pedagogical knowledge.

We are aware of the challenges learners face in the transition years. Identifying ways to address these challenges will form a key part of our science policy in this Senedd term.

As part of the Curriculum for Wales Grant Support Programme, £20 million of grant funding was awarded in 2025 to provide national support on literacy and numeracy over a 3-year period. A strong foundation in literacy and numeracy is important to helping our learners make progress in science.

Recommendations for Local authorities and school improvement services

Recommendation 5

Strengthen science-specific professional learning to improve teachers’ subject knowledge, including targeted support for Welsh-medium provision and non-specialist teachers.

Recommendation 6

Improve cluster collaboration so that schools develop a shared understanding of progression and ensure smoother continuity in learning from primary to secondary.

Recommendation 7

Establish regional professional learning networks in physics and chemistry to build specialist capacity, especially in Welsh-medium schools.

Welsh Government response

Local Authorities hold responsibility for local school improvement arrangements, providing defined ownership and accountability. As part of the changes to school improvement arrangement, funding for support for Welsh-medium professional learning has been managed centrally, with support being provided through Cydag. From September 2026, this will transfer to Dysgu for the delivery of specific support for Welsh-medium practitioner, including the development of their subject knowledge.

We will collaborate with Local Authorities and school improvement partnerships to identify appropriate approaches to support the delivery of these recommendations.

Our existing grant-funded programmes address the need to provide additional assistance to practitioners in both physics and chemistry. Peer networks continue to offer valuable support to practitioners.

Recommendations for Welsh Government

Recommendation 8

Provide clear direction to Dysgu and other partners for developing science-specific professional learning, to provide a sustained programme of support for all science teachers, including those working through the medium of Welsh.

Recommendation 9

To support high expectations in science, develop clearer definitions of progression outlining how knowledge, enquiry skills and understanding should develop and be sequenced across phases.

Recommendation 10

Strengthen system-level approaches to address science teacher shortages and build the capacity of Welsh-speaking teachers to teach science with confidence and fluency.

Recommendation 11

Strengthen Welsh-medium science provision by improving access to high-quality Welsh-language resources, working with national partners such as Adnodd, and supporting consistency in scientific terminology and subject-specific professional learning.

Welsh Government response

We accept these recommendations.

We provide £1.8 million in grant funding to Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Chemistry and Science Made Simple, as part of the Curriculum for Wales Grant Support Programme. Their ‘Boosting science education in Wales’ programme provides support to enhance science teaching and learning outcomes in primary and secondary schools. The programme strengthens practitioners’ pedagogical and subject knowledge, as well as build confidence through professional development and specialised mentoring and coaching, with tailored resources and peer networks available.

Across the Grant Support Programme up to March 2028, we have allocated £20 million to support literacy and numeracy programmes, and nearly £10 million to support the sciences, mathematics and digital learning.

Recommendation 8: funding is being allocated to Dysgu, our national body for professional learning and leadership, to develop subject knowledge professional learning, particularly for secondary non-specialist practitioners. We are also currently engaging with stakeholders and experts to gather evidence of the science landscape in Wales and understand the challenges facing practitioners and learners. This will inform future provision to be led by Dysgu.

Recommendation 9: this government has committed to a review of knowledge in the curriculum and strengthening progression and we will consider this in due course. Effective partnership working with Dysgu will support subject specific professional learning and networks. This will allow us to support understanding of progression in science, including how knowledge, enquiry skills and understanding develops. This will support curriculum design and pedagogy to help learners make meaningful and inclusive connections in their science learning over time. 

Recommendation 10: we are aware of particular challenges in Welsh-medium science provision, in terms of recruitment, practitioner confidence and provision of resources. During 2025 to 2026 we have funded Cydag to deliver subject knowledge professional learning in maths and the sciences to upskill existing teachers. Dysgu will be responsible for the development and delivery of specialist support moving forward, as outlined above. Also, as part of our capacity grant for Welsh-medium secondary schools, short term projects have been funded to enable practitioners to share practice, particularly in shortage subjects. 

As part of the implementation of the Welsh Language and Education Act, we will work closely with local authorities to improve workforce planning to inform our actions to support recruitment and retention, particularly in shortage secondary subjects. We are also continuing to explore routes to qualified teacher status to widen accessibility to potential future teachers, and have increased our priority subject incentive to attract new teachers.

We want to build the confidence and fluency of all practitioners to teach science, alongside wider actions to strengthen subject expertise. Supporting Welsh-medium teaching and learning is an integral element of our approach. 

Recommendation 11: we will work with Adnodd to explore the development of additional Welsh language science resources.

The full report can be accessed on Estyn’s website, and was published on 17^th June 2026.