Annual Conference 2026 Teacher Developers sample programme
Thursday 8th January 2026, at the University of Nottingham, is the designated Teacher Developers’ Day at our Annual Conference, with a curated series of sessions chosen to appeal to those who support other teachers at all stages of their careers, through initial teacher education, professional development and subject leadership. Friday and Saturday also include many sessions which will appeal to teacher developers. Below is a sample of sessions you might choose, with some sessions including options for those who are more focused on either primary or secondary science. Of course, there are many other choices a teacher developer could make - this is just an example. A full programme is available via our Sched application.
Thursday 8th January
Time slot | Title of session | Speakers |
---|---|---|
From 07:45 onwards | Register for conference | |
08:00-08:45 | Exhibition open for visitors | |
08:45-09:40 | The significance of trainee teachers learning through pupils | Ashley Beattie |
09:55-10:50 | Teacher Developers keynote: The curriculum review | Jon Hutchinson |
10:45-11.15 | Tea / coffee / exhibition browsing | |
11:15-12:10 | Curriculum making for climate change education OR Teacher recruitment and retention – international case studies | Claire Seeley; Chris Shepherd |
12:25-13:20 | Supporting neurodivergent science teachers: inclusion, identity and practical strategies | Rachel Hartley, Carole Kenrick |
13:35-14:30 | Lunch / exhibition open OR Intellectual Preparation: a model for rapid departmental improvement | Jessica Wood |
14:45-15:40 | Bringing CASE In from the cold: how is it going? OR What should leaders prioritise to improve primary science in their schools? | Alex Black, Natasha Serret; Alex Farrer, Michelle Sleath |
15:40-16:10 | Physics and Tea with the Institute of Physics | |
16:10-17:05 | Teaching in ways that help children to learn in primary science OR Three crucial changes Physics Partners made to improve our physics CPD | Nicola Treby, Vanessa Matthews; Alan Denton |
17:10-17:40 | Meet the ASE Teacher Developers’ Committee | |
17:30-19:30 | ASE Reception ASE Reception for networking and ASE Book of the Year prize giving, followed by a pay as you go bar open until 22:00. |
Friday 9th January
Timeslot | Title of session | Speakers |
---|---|---|
From 07:45 onwards | Register for conference | |
08:00-08:45 | Exhibition open for visitors | |
08:45-09:40 | Use of AI in curriculum implementation OR Supporting purposeful practical work in primary science | Andy Chandler-Grevatt; Lynne Bianchi, Sarah Earle, Grace Marson |
09:55-10:50 | Harnessing GenAI for the next generation of primary/secondary science teachers | Suzanne Swan |
10:45-11.15 | Tea / coffee / exhibition browsing | |
11:15-12:10 | Primary keynote: Reflections on the 2025 state of primary science in the UK report OR Strengthening professional growth through learning communities | Lynne Bianchi, Martin Pollard, Clare Harvey; Helen Sizer, Tina Whittaker |
12:25-13:20 | Lunch / exhibition open OR Networking Lunch for 11-19 sponsored by Educake | |
13:35-14:30 | 11-19 Keynote: Space - challenges and opportunities in the Century of Change? OR Primary Networking Lunch | Anu Ojha, UK Space Agency |
14:45-15:40 | Bring back concept mapping to develop vocabulary and meaning in science OR Talking Science: Tackling the stubborn challenges of the disadvantage gap | Alex Sinclair, Emily Montenero; Louise Archer, Athene Donald, Lee Elliot-Major, Marianne Cutler |
15:40-16:10 | Tea / coffee / exhibition open for browsing | |
16:10-17:05 | Exhibition browsing and networking | |
19:00-22:00 | ASE Social: curry and quiz evening | |
Saturday 10th January
Timeslot | Title of session | Speakers |
---|---|---|
07:45 onwards | Register for conference | |
08:00-08:45 | Exhibition open for visitors | |
08:45-09:40 | Finding the silver bullet – why girls choose A level physics OR Let’s PLAN to moderate disciplinary knowledge | Gill Clarke; Naomi Hiscock |
09:55-10:45 | Why did they leave? Exploring the reasons physics teachers left teaching OR Frontier Science: What are executive functions and how do they help children learn maths and science? | Mark Whalley, Stuart Farmer; Lucy Cragg |
10:45-11:15 | Tea / coffee / exhibition open for browsing | |
11:15-12:10 | Panel: Working together to improve science education | Jo Foster |
12:25-13:20 | High quality fieldwork: shared lessons for science and geography | Rebecca Kitchen |
13:35-14:30 | Lunch / exhibition open for browsing | |
14:45-15:40 | Practical applications of AI to improve teaching and reduce workload | Euan Douglas |
15:40-15:55 | Tea / coffee | |
15:55 - 16:50 | Dialogue and oracy in practicals – can talk improve practical science? OR Engaging science researchers in the primary classroom | Chris Harrison, Peter Munroe; Joy Parvin |
16:50 | Conference ends! | |