Science Leaders' Survival Guide number 2015

This sample gives a taste of what the Science Leaders' Hub Survival Guide offers to support you in your role as a science leader or in your aspirations to become a science leader.

Samples from each section of the guide:

How to…Organise and use book sampling to monitor your department
Advice Centre: Allocating Rooms
How to… Ensure that practical science flourishes
How to…Run team meetings
How to…Support colleagues with effective behaviour management
How to...Start a STEM club

 Science Leaders' Survival Guide (2015 Edition)

Forward
Start here NEW 2015
Your new job
Your first term
Your vision

Gathering evidence
How to… Organise and carry out lesson observations
How to… Use impromptu visits for monitoring purposes
How to… Gather feedback from students and teachers
How to… Organise and use book sampling to monitor your department
How to… Organise quality assurance (QA) systems in the your department

Identifying strengths and weaknesses
How to… Give constructive feedback
How to… Use observations to identify departmental strengths and areas for development
How to… Use different types of data effectively
How to… Use book sampling to check students’ writing in science
How to… Use book sampling to check the quality of marking and feedback

Taking action
How to… Use lesson observations to improve teaching and learning
How to… Deal with ineffective teaching
How to… Structure a written development plan

How to… Identify potential actions
Developing colleagues
How to… Identify CPD needs
How to… Find out about CPD opportunities for colleagues
How to… Increase the impact of CPD
How to...Support non-specialists NEW 2015
How to… Conduct a performance management interview
How to… Set appropriate targets
How to… Mentor new teachers
How to… Create an effective team
How to… Develop a team
How to...Develop a high-performing team

The support team
Advice centre: Providing leadership for technicians
Advice centre: Including technicians in the team
How to… Provide CPD for technicians
How to… Write a job description for a technician
How to… Monitor your support team
How to… Ensure that teachers work effectively with support staff

Departmental structure
How to… Delegate responsibilities
Advice centre: Reviewing departmental structure
How to… Timetable colleagues effectively
How to… Organise a day’s cover
How to… Cope with longer-term absences

Appointing staff
How to... Write a job description
How to… Write a person specification
How to… Write an advert
How to… Short-list potential candidates
How to… Prepare information for prospective candidates
How to… Organise an interview

Organising effective meetings and CPD
How to… Run team meetings
How to… Plan for team meetings (short term)
How to… Plan for team meetings (long term)
How to… Run your own CPD session
How to… Organise staff induction

Working with senior leaders
How to… Be an effective middle leader
Advice centre: Raising the science department’s profile
How to… Work effectively with governors

Yourself
How to… Network
How to… Manage your time effectively
How to… Prioritise

Supporting learning
Advice centre: Experimental work
How to… Increase the use of contemporary issues in the department
How to… Include global learning in your curriculum
How to… Make effective use of wall displays
How to… Make transfer to secondary more effective
How to... Make the transition to linear courses
How to… Introduce a STEM Curriculum

Enriching the curriculum
How to...Enrich the science curriculum NEW 2015
How to… Start up a STEM club
How to… Organise trips out of school
How to… Support learning outside the classroom NEW 2015
How to… Develop links with industry
How to… Find out about science events

Assessment to support learning
Advice centre: Assessment to support learning
How to… Develop the use of assessment to support learning
How to… Use peer and self assessment

Schemes of work and lesson planning
How to… Write your own scheme of work
Advice centre: Revising your scheme(s) of work
How to… Make a scheme of work accessible to all teachers
How to… Make schemes of work inclusive
How to...Support learning across a linear course NEW 2015
How to...Use learning episodes to structure lessons NEW 2015
How to...Prepare students for extended answer questions NEW 2015

Cross-curricular issues
Advice centre: Incorporating ICT in science lessons
How to… Use different methods to improve literacy
How to… Integrate numeracy in the teaching of science

Departmental policies
Advice centre: Report writing
Advice centre: Homework policy
Advice centre: Transforming marking and feedback
Advice centre: Teaching and learning policy
How to… Implement a sex education policy
How to… Write a health and safety policy
How to… Write a departmental handbook
How to… Monitor policy implementation and effectiveness

Yourself
How to… Keep up to date with scientific developments
How to… Expand your own knowledge of issues relating to learning and teaching science

Meeting individual students’ needs
Advice centre: Meeting the needs of all students
Advice centre: To set or not to set?
How to… Support students with EAL
Advice centre: Challenging able students in science
Advice centre: Meeting the needs of students with special educational needs
How to… Improve cultural inclusion in your department
How to... Differentiate for different groups of students

Using student data
How to… Take action when you identify lack of progress
How to… Recognise that your department is using data effectively
How to… Plan for progression without levels (England)

Communication with students
How to… Communicate with students in a variety of situations
How to… Handle a student complaint
How to… Keep students informed
How to...motivate students towards exam success NEW 2015

Student behaviour
How to… Support colleagues with effective behaviour management
How to… Cope with students exhibiting challenging behaviour
How to… Create a positive learning environment
How to… Establish clear behaviour expectations with students and colleagues
How to… Encourage whole-department involvement in supporting behaviour management

Student choices
How to… Support post-16 students with university applications
How to... Support students with career choices NEW 2015
How to...Encourage the uptake of post-16 physics by girls NEW 2015

Risk assessment
How to… Ensure that practical science flourishes in the department by appropriate
use of risk assessments
How to… Integrate health and safety monitoring into normal work

People
How to… Ensure health and safety training
How to… Help students learn about health and safety
How to… Use teaching assistants to support health and safety
How to… Work with supply or cover staff in health and safety
How to… Work with technicians on health and safety
How to… Deal with health and safety for educational visits

Equipment and resources
How to… Provide and use health and safety equipment
How to… Ensure health and safety checks are done
How to… Use radioactive sources safely

Resources
Advice centre: Stocktaking
Advice centre: Management of resourcing needs
How to… Choose your suppliers

Finances
Advice centre: Budgeting
How to… Write a budget
How to… Calculate your on-going costs
How to… Present your argument for money in a bid

Buildings
How to… Ensure the maintenance of equipment and facilities in your department
Advice centre: Allocating rooms
How to… Design a new laboratory
How to… Design a new prep room
How to… Create a good learning environment