Nuffield Curriculum Centre

Promoting the SPACE approach

Initial and in-service training
Active dissemination of the SPACE approach was helped by the way that it was taken up by many involved in initial and in-service training as their rationale for their courses. This activity was soon co-ordinated from the Nuffield Curriculum Centre.

At least two-thirds of centres for initial teacher training in primary science were in touch with the Nuffield Curriculum Centre. Members of a UK-wide network of trainers and LEA advisers met annually for nearly ten years.

New publications
There was a developmental side to aftercare. The support and expertise of the network made it possible for the Nuffield Curriculum Centre and the publisher to produce a range of supplementary resources. Of these publications, Understanding Science Ideas proved particularly successful.

Science and literacy
A rewarding link was made with the Exeter Extending Literacy project (EXEL). Those involved in Nuffield Primary Science found the EXEL approach to scaffolding children’s learning helpful and a joint Science and Literacy book was produced.