Skills development

Students need systematic preparation before they can tackle independent investigations successfully. The challenge for busy science teachers is finding time to develop these skills within content-heavy curricula. Our Skills Development approach solves this problem by breaking down complex investigative abilities into manageable components that integrate seamlessly with your existing teaching.

Rather than expecting students to suddenly become independent researchers, we provide a progressive roadmap that builds confidence step-by-step. Each skill connects to real scientific and engineering contexts, showing students why these capabilities matter for their future success.

Science skills framework

We have reorganized the scientific skills required by the National Curriculum into a comprehensive 10-step process that covers everything from initial question formation to scientific communication. 

The progression moves students from basic question identification through to sophisticated evaluation and communication – exactly the journey they need for successful project work and HPQ preparation.

The framework is flexible allowing pathways for:

• Science Investigations - how the natural world works
• Engineering Challenges - solving real-world problems

This unified approach means students develop capabilities that serve them whatever they choose to enquire into.

Each of the 10 skills breaks down into specific strategies that students can learn individually, building confidence by mastering one at a time before combining them into sophisticated investigative thinking. For example, experimental design involves both devising methods to test hypotheses and controlling variables – related but distinct thinking skills. This systematic breakdown also makes the framework easier to fit within curriculum teaching.

Skill	Strategies learned
1. Define enquiry	1. Choose a question to enquire into and decide if it’s science or engineering 2. Make your question testable and formulate a hypothesis 3. (Engineering only) Define the criteria to make your solution successful and the constraints which limit it
2. Review sources	1. Find sources of information that help to answer the question and are trustworthy 2. Find evidence in a source and explain if it supports the answer.
3. Design experiments	1. Devise a method to test a hypothesis 2. Control variables which could affect the experiment
4. Develop solutions	1. Come up with ideas, compare them using criteria and choose the best solution with a reason. 2. (Engineering only) Design a prototype and plan how to test it
5. Collect data	1. Plan data collection methods that are accurate, reliable, safe and ethical 2. Plan how to represent and visualise your data based on the variables and research questions
6. Improve methods	1. (Engineering only) Evaluate the existing solution against success criteria and constraints 2. Refine the method or solution through iterative improvements
7. Analyse data	1. Use mathematical tools to calculate statistics and identify numerical relationships 2. Interpret patterns to make valid, evidence-based conclusions
8. Consider implications	1. Evaluate how well your conclusions support the hypothesis and answer the enquiry question 2. (Desk Research only) Examine potential benefits and risks and applications for society and the environment
9. Evaluate limitations	1. Identify and analyse limitations that affect the validity and reliability of your enquiry 2. Assess ways to enhance the enquiry’s validity, reliability, and scope
10. Write scientifically	1. Build well-structured explanations using evidence, reasoning, and terminology 2. Adapt your style and presentation to suit your audience and communication purpose

Skill development resources

Our 5 Skills Training resources teach investigation skills through compelling case studies that immerse students in authentic scientific contexts. Rather than abstract skill practice, students encounter real-world scenarios that spark curiosity. 

Take Time of Death, which develops experimental design skills through a forensic mystery. Students discover a potential flaw in murder trial evidence which drives the to learn how to formulate hypotheses, identify variables, and plan controlled experiments.

Each case unpicks the individual steps in the skill and teaches them one by one, with practice tasks. The resource culminates in an application task for students to use the complete skill in a new context.

Each resource package contains

• Presentation slides and student sheets

• Teacher guides with lesson commentary

• Technician guides with equipment lists and setup instructions
  

Each case takes approximately 2 lessons but offers flexible implementation. The cognitive demand adjusts through scaffolding levels, supporting both students new to independent investigation and those ready for greater challenge.

The resources have been kindly sponsored by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Open University.

Resource	Skill	Description
Bubble Science & Engineering	Define enquiry	Students explore how popping bubbles – like those in bubble tea – are made and wonder about questions What effects whether the bubbles form, or are the right shape and size – science questions. How to make the process work better and more consistently – engineering questions. They learn how to categorise the questions as science or engineering. For a science enquiry they think up a hypothesis, and devise a question that is testable. For an engineering question, they define success criteria and constraints.
De-Extinction	Review sources	Students explore the question: Is it possible to bring an extinct animal back to life? This is the big question that students will be investigating in this activity. They will learn how to break up a big question into smaller sub-questions that can be answered using sources, check if a source is trustworthy and search for evidence to answer the question using a 3-step method.
Time of Death	Design experiments	The context is a forensic mystery. Students expose a critical flaw in the evidence used in a court case, prompting them to learn how to plan an experiment about how mass affects cooling rates. Finally, students apply the practice of planning experiments to a new context.
Turtle Rescue	Develop solutions	Students take on the role of engineers tasked with developing a solution to safely transport a turtle egg to safety during a cyclone. They brainstorm ideas, test exothermic reactions, and use given criteria and constraints to judge which reactions and designs work best for their prototype egg transportation device.
DNA Extraction	Improve methods	The challenge is to improve a method for extracting DNA from a food. It is based on the experiments students typically do with fruit. Students learn to evaluate the existing method against given success criteria and constraints after some experimentation. Using the '5 Whys' technique, students plan and implement modifications to their method and carry out iterations to refine their method.

Ready to try Project Skills? 

Our programme offers comprehensive support for beginning your project-based science journey >See Pilot the programme

FAQ

Q: What experience should teachers have to deliver Project Skills?
A: Teachers benefit from some background in practical investigations, but our professional development sessions provide comprehensive training in the teaching approaches and resource usage. The programme is designed to support teachers new to project-based learning.