Expert perspectives: ASE Annual Conference Session Roundup 2026

The Conference provides a unique, rich and powerful professional learning opportunity for teachers, technicians, researchers and educators that updates and enthuses delegates to improve science teaching and learning. This year was no exception with over 220+ keynotes, workshops and talks over the three-day event and an amazing exhibition of resources and support materials.

We've brought together a selection of write ups from the presenters at Conference to share some of the insights with our wider membership who were not able to attend this year, and for those that did attend and want to catch up on sessions they missed. Please explore the links to the write ups below.  

Trainee reflections on Conference

We’re also happy to share some reflections from a group of PGCE Trainees from King’s College London who attended Conference for the first time and clearly had an inspiring time. We hope to see them all at our next Annual Conference in January 2027 as well as many more Trainees from across the country.

Day one

How the concept of Epistemic Inquiry can help plan a science curriculum

Alex Black, Owner / Council Member, ABC-Learning / Let's Think Forum Council

Working with AI to support future-proofing eco-centric pedagogies

Amy Strachan, Lecturer in Primary Education, UCL & Andy Markwick, Lecturer in science education, University College London

Free research grade biotechnology kit for students use

Dr. Phil Smith MBE, CPD Lead for ABE UK, University of Hertfordshire & Dr Eddie Orija, FIMA SFHEA Director, Centre for STEM Education, University of Hertfordshire

How to set pupils up for success as they enter secondary science

Georgie Pick, Principal Development Lead for Science Mastery, Ark Curriculum Plus

The take up of AI in education in the last year in a global setting

Glenys Hart, International Education Consultant, International Education Consultant

Intellectual Preparation: A model for rapid departmental improvement

Jessica Wood, Head of Subject, Ark Curriculum Plus

Chemistry doesn’t just happen in test tubes!

Peter Borrows, Member of ASE's H&S Group / Consultant / Former Director of CLEAPSS, Troye Scientific

BERG: Wearable tech in primary schools: Introducing the EI Air-Guitar with GenAI

Sam Clarke, Lecturer of Primary ITE & Berry Billingsley, Professor / Principal Investigator and Director of AI, Digital and Online Development, University of Swansea

Weather and climate: where science and geography coincide

Sylvia Knight, Head of Education, Royal Meteorological Society & Eleanor Pinches, Education Officer, Royal Meteorological society

ECTs’ polymorphous identities: visualising a way to plan career support

Kelly Dockerty, Senior Lecturer and Team Leader in Education, University of Hull

CLEAPSS hands-on workshop drop-in

Matt Endean, Deputy Director, CLEAPSS

BERG: Solutions-based approaches to teaching primary/secondary plant science

Haruko Okamoto, Anna Newman-Griffis, Chris Graham, Rachel Sawkle, Rachel Davies, Nic Buckley & Dawn Sanders

Primary panel session: leading science - navigating the challenges. Curriculum review - what next?

Claire Seeley MA CSciTeach, Sarah Earle, Hannah Osueke, Maria Mehrin, Nicki Deane & Katie Adams

Top tips for primary inclusion

Elaine Arbuckle Early Years Specialist and PSTT Fellow, Half Pint Science

Teaching in ways that help children to learn in primary science

Nicola Treby, Associate Professor and Head of Primary Core Subjects, University of Roehampton & Vanessa Matthews, Senior Lecturer in Primary Science and Assistant Programme Leader BA year 2, University of Roehampton

CLEAPSS: Adaptive teaching and practical work

Sally Fulford, Helen Spring & Jason Harding

Day two

A Digital Toolkit for early career science teachers

Danny Nicholson, Educational Consultant (Science / ICT), Think Bank Education and Training

Technicians: Prepping for practical A level physics in a mobile device environment

Jon Scott, Physics Teacher and Professional Development Leader, Pate's Grammar School, Cheltenham and Dan Roberts, Sales and Technical Manager, IDS Education

Working with glass

Tracy Sherwood-Farnfield, Senior Science Technician, The School of Science and Technology (prep room)

Power up your Oscilloscope Skills

Alex Wu MEng MIET, New Product Developer, Philip Harris - part of the Findel Education Family

Bringing back Concept Mapping to develop vocabulary and meaning​

Alex Sinclair, Associate Professor; Primary Science Course Lead; Co-Chair of ASE (23/24), St Mary's University & Emily Montenero, Senior Lecturer in Primary Science, St Mary's University Twickenham

Use of AI in curriculum implementation

Andy Chandler-Grevatt, Curriculum Editor for Smart Activate Oxford University Press

Early Career Teachers - A 2 year programme of support for Secondary science teachers

Frank Lowor, Subject Support Manager - Science, AQA & Damian Gent, Subject Support - Science Lead, AQA

Fostering an inclusive and diverse classroom environment

Amy Brewer, Science Subject Advisor, OCR & Bethan Foulkes, Science Subject Advisor, OCR

Technician Leadership: Inspiring, Managing, and Making an Impact

Lisa Alford, RSci MRSC Science Coordinator |Senior Science Technician, Tonbridge School

11-19 Keynote: Inclusive science in practice: Strategies, stories and the changing curriculum

Jeff Banks, Chief Executive, Lightyear Foundation

Why should we bother with science?

Dr Mark Whalley, Senior Lecturer in Education, University of Chester

Assessing practicals for student progress and lower teacher work load

Andy Brunning, Chemistry A level Subject Advisor, OCR & Mike Jackson, Physics Subject Advisor, Cambridge OCR

Responsible use of AI in science education: A framework for impactful but responsible application of AI in your school

Alex More, Education Consultant & Penelope Sharott, OUP

Frontier Science: Multi-representational learning: Beyond dual coding

Shaaron Ainsworth, Professor of Learning Sciences, University of Nottingham, School of Education

 

Advanced Microscale Chemistry – Beyond the Puddle

Maureen Wade, RSciTech Senior Science Technician, The Victory Academy

Secondary science assessment: Moving beyond data generation to impactful action

Nicola Allen Managing Director, Educake & Tracy Baxter Independent Science Education Consultant, Tracey Baxter Consultancy Services

CLEAPSS: Supporting teachers to use formative assessment probes

Jason Harding, Maria Pack, Page Keely and Ed Walsh

Day three

Dialogue and oracy in practicals - can talk improve practical science?

Prof. Chris Harrison and Peter Munroe

A voice for the unheard – empowering young minds through research

Nikhil Mistry, Knowledge Exchange & Enterprise Fellow, University of Southampton & Kath Woods-Townsend, Programme Director, LifeLab (University of Southampton)

Enhancing primary science with the BBC micro:bit

Dan Breeze, Head of Primary Science, White Rose Education & Blathnaid, Walsh-Heron Producer, The Micro:bit Educational Foundation

Panel: Working together to improve science education

Professor Louise Archer, ASE President / Karl Mannheim Chair of Sociology of Education, UCL Institute of Education, Jo Foster, Director, IRIS (Institute for Research in Schools) & Anne-Marie Imafidon, Chief Executive, Stemettes

What are executive functions and how do they help children learn maths and science?

Professor Lucy Cragg, School of Psychology, University of Nottingham

Unseen, Unsaid, Unchallenged: Gender Bias in Generative AI Science Outputs

Victoria Hedlund, Founder and Director aka 'The AI Bias Girl', GenEd Labs.ai

Tackling mathematical misconceptions in science

Amanda Clegg Science and Leadership Consultant, AKC Educational Consultancy & Karen Collins Educational Consultant, Apogee Education, Learning and Development

CLEAPSS: Adaptative teaching techniques that support children to answer questions and write conclusions

Jason Harding and Maria Pack

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