Primary science education beyond 2021 – what next?

During 2020-2021 schools experienced considerable challenges to teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic which affected all aspects of teaching and learning. Understanding science became especially important and for children this begins in the first stages of education. This document considers the data that have emerged from our 2021 research together with data from our previous state of the nation reviews, stakeholders’ research, and outcomes from a workshop with a wide range of stakeholders in July 2021 to consider what is needed to continue to develop good primary science education and suggest principles for the future.