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

This session explores how to ensure pupils experience a smooth, academically coherent transition from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 science. Drawing on survey data from primary and secondary teachers, national research, and Ark Curriculum Plus’ experience supporting over 100 schools, the session identifies four key barriers that contribute to the unevenness pupils often face when entering secondary science: the curriculum gap, the practical gap, the communication gap, and unnecessary repetition.

The curriculum gap stems from significant differences in curriculum time, pedagogical approaches, content depth, and levels of abstraction. Primary pupils often succeed with concrete, observable phenomena, yet Year 7 immediately introduces abstract concepts such as current, charge and particles. While primary teachers report confidence in pupils’ secure KS2 understanding, secondary teachers frequently experience inconsistencies in prior knowledge. This mismatch is intensified by the limited curriculum detail within the national curriculum itself, which can lead to assumptions about what has or hasn’t been taught.

The practical gap reflects the disparity in access to equipment, specialist spaces and technician support. Primary practicals tend to be limited or small‑scale, whereas secondary pupils expect “real science” immediately—Bunsen burners, chemicals, specialist apparatus. Research (e.g., Gatsby; Ofsted) reinforces that practical work is only effective when purposeful and conceptually well‑prepared, yet pupils’ experiences across phases rarely align.

The communication gap is particularly stark: most teachers across both phases report never communicating about science curriculum or pupil progress. As a result, misconceptions go unshared, primary expertise is undervalued, and secondary teachers often default to ‘starting again’ in Year 7. This drives the fourth barrier, repetition, which can dampen pupil engagement at precisely the moment when scientific curiosity should be accelerating. 

The session concludes with practical, actionable strategies. These include establishing shared curriculum understanding (e.g., vocabulary progression, KS2–KS3 bridging materials), building regular cross‑phase communication routines, using diagnostic assessment to expose misconceptions and reduce unnecessary repetition or reteaching, aligning expectations around practical science, and attending to pupils’ wellbeing during the culture shift into secondary. Collectively, these small, deliberate steps can significantly improve the continuity and quality of pupils’ scientific learning as they enter Year 7.