Primary Science: Knowledge and Understanding

Now with online resources to support subject knowledge!

Secure subject knowledge and understanding is the foundation of confident, creative and effective teaching. To help your students master this, the 8^th edition of this established text now comes with a range of online resources available on the brand new companion website including:

• a comprehensive science subject knowledge audit
• reflective self-assessment questions per chapter
• a science subject knowledge checklist
• useful weblinks for primary science teaching

You can use the science subject knowledge audit to assess your trainees’ progress and ensure they better understand their level of knowledge. Grading students′ overall performance, highlighting areas for improvement linked to relevant chapter reading and the ability to share results with their lecturer, makes this the ideal science subject assessment tool.

This 8th edition, covering the whole curriculum for primary science, has also been updated to include more on why science matters in primary schools and new content on ‘States of matter’, ′Rocks and soils’ and the ′Theory of Evolution′. New interactive activities are included to engage students in their learning and enable discussion. Using this book in conjunction with the free online resources really makes this the complete package for developing science subject knowledge. 

Graham Peacock is Principal Lecturer in Education at Sheffield Hallam University. He has taught children across the primary and secondary age ranges.

John Sharp is Professor of Higher Education and Head of the Lincoln Higher Education Research Institute (LHERI) at the University of Lincoln.


Rob Johnsey, formerly a primary school teacher, lectured in primary science in the Institute of Education at the University of Warwick for several years.

Debbie Wright is the BEd (Primary) Programme Director at Rolle School of Education, University of Plymouth. She has extensive experience of primary teaching, and of lecturing in primary science education.

Keira Sewell is an independent educational consultant at Visionary Education (www.visionary-education.co.uk). She has over 25 years’ experience of supporting the professional development of both trainee and experienced teachers and specialises in science education.