New evidence-based primary science curriculum to support teachers across Australia and lift student outcomes.
The Origin Energy Foundation and national not-for-profit Ochre Education announced today that they will partner to deliver a unique three-year program to develop a detailed and integrated science curriculum across years 5 and 6. Expert teachers from regional, rural and remote schools across Australia will come together to develop knowledge-rich resources aligned to the Australian Curriculum and state variants.
Science Reach: Curriculum Resources through Regional Expertise will fill a critical gap in primary science resources: a carefully sequenced, knowledge-rich curriculum and teaching resources, aligned with evidence-based teaching practices. There is increasing acknowledgement within Australia that supporting all schools to offer a guaranteed high-quality curriculum has significant potential to make education more coherent, raise student achievement and reduce teacher workload. The program will build on Ochre’s existing high-quality evidence-based teaching resources in primary and secondary maths and English, as well as secondary science, to coherently develop rich student and teacher knowledge.
The program will draw on expert teachers from regional, rural and remote schools to strengthen knowledge and create an ongoing community of experts. Evidence shows that teachers from small, rural, regional and remote schools find it harder to access high quality teaching materials and professional learning. The program seeks to address this through the long-term establishment of communities of practice.
Over the next three years, the new program will include:
Ochre is looking for science teachers with experience in rural, regional and remote schools to contribute to this project. Please follow this link for more details and to register your interest.
Ochre co-CEO Reid Smith said that Science Reach will be critical for ensuring all students have access to high-quality, evidence-based science resources and lifting the capacity of regional and remote teachers.
“We know that primary teachers are asking for evidence-based science resources to support their teaching and reduce workloads. These integrated and detailed science resources are a first for Australia – they will support years 5 and 6 students and teachers across Australia to achieve a stronger understanding of key scientific concepts and feel supported in the classroom. We’re thrilled to be bringing together some of the best teachers from Regional, Remote and Rural Australia to share expertise and create an ongoing community of practice”
About Ochre Education
Ochre Education is a national not-for profit organisation committed to advancing student outcomes and closing the disadvantage gap by supporting teachers to teach, and enabling all Australian students to access a high-quality curriculum.
We achieve this by working with a community of teachers to develop and support the use of an expertly-sequenced curriculum, alongside a comprehensive library which collects, curates and distributes free, evidence-based, quality-assured, and curriculum-linked teaching resources, to be adapted and used by any teacher anywhere.
Over the last two years, Ochre has produced over 2,500 lessons (10,000+ resources) across maths, English and science working with leading education organisations and almost 400 expert practising teachers. Resources have been accessed by over 7,500 (78%) Australian schools, with over 68,000 teachers registered on our site. 90% of teachers rate our materials as high or very high quality. On average, Ochre library resources have saved teachers 3 hours 20 minutes each week. 88% of teachers report that resources have supported student progress.
“I absolutely love Ochre. I think that more schools should have access to consistent, effective resources like these.”
“These are the best resources I have ever seen. They follow explicit instruction guidelines and get results”.
“We have implemented Ochre for literacy and numeracy. Would never go back to planning from scratch again when you have made such amazing, detailed, curriculum-linked resources. You’ve thought of everything that the average teacher couldn’t possibly make.”
“I cannot believe the quality of resources that are accessible to teachers. I am not exaggerating when I say that your resources have changed my life as a teacher significantly. They have reduced my workload, and I have confidence that my teaching is at a high standard, developmentally appropriate and aligned with curriculum standards.”
About the Origin Energy Foundation
The Origin Energy Foundation, established by Origin Energy in 2010, supports education programs that break the cycle of disadvantage for young people in Australia. Its philanthropic focus is on improving educational outcomes for First Nations students, those in regional and rural areas, and STEM education to help students prepare for future careers.
Head of the Foundation, Michelle Zahra said the Foundation was proud to support Ochre Education in this important work to better engage primary school students in science and help prepare them for STEM careers of the future.
“In today’s fast-changing world driven by technology and innovation, building STEM skills is essential for student success. Science education, particularly in the primary school years, sparks curiosity, builds critical thinking, and helps build the foundation for proficiency in science literacy for high school and beyond.
Ochre’s Science Reach program is unique in that it brings together expert teachers from regional and remote Australia to develop and deliver a comprehensive set of best-in-class science lessons for students, helping them to prepare for high school while providing invaluable support for teachers to deliver high quality lessons in the classroom.”
