Launch your course

The Project Science course is being developed for schools to launch the course in September 2025.

Timetabling the course

We recommend treating Project Science as a timetabled course for Year 10 and Year 11 like other GCSE options. The teaching and project elements are likely to require 60 guided learning hours per year - around 2 lessons per week, which is the time recommended by the Awarding Bodies. This will give students the best chance of a high grade in HPQ or EPQ.

It might be possible squeeze some teaching and a short project into the time allotted for Combined Science GCSE. However, this option is unlikely to achieve the goal of making students more likely to choose science post-16. It is also a less attractive option for teachers, given the extra workload of preparing the case-study lessons and managing all the projects.

Staffing the course

Any science teacher who is enthusiastic about student-led enquiry could run the course. We list some relevant experiences and qualities:

  • familiarity with project-based learning, or Project Qualifications
  • acting as a mentor or coach to students
  • teaching across physics, chemistry and biology
  • Strong time and project management

Pilot project

Mastery Science and Pearson are running a pilot project to evaluate the impact of the course, and expand it to more schools. Any school who joins the pilot project will get free professional development, teaching and project resources, as well as a point of contact for ongoing assistance. >> Pilot school application

Teaching syllabus (free)
The science and engineering practices and transferable skills taught in the course and how they meets the requirements for HPQ/EPQ.  >> Teaching syllabus

Scheme of work (free)
A schedule for organising the teaching and project elements of year 10 and 11.  >> Scheme of work

Teaching resources (free and paid).
A set of real-world case studies to teach the science and engineering practices needed for student projects.  > > Teaching resources

Project resources (free and paid)
Ready-to-go curriculum materials in a range of exciting and relevant themes to support guided and independent student projects.  >> Project resources

Professional development (free and paid)
Sessions to help teachers recruit students, plan and implement the course, and assess students’ projects.  >> Professional development

Point of contact 
For ongoing assistance.