An interview with a Primary School science coordinator

Sample interview questions for the Principal and/or science

coordinator/teacher re: science provision in the setting.

Is there a science coordinator and/or how many

specified science teachers are there in the school?

Responses from the Principal and/or science

coordinator/teacher re: science provision in the
setting.
Yes, there is a science coordinator for 8 teachers. The
teacher teaches all the students.

What are the duties/responsibilities of the science

teacher/coordinator?
Does she teach any, all students or just specific year groups?
Obtain a teaching schedule and any schemes of work, lesson
plans, software used etc. from the science
coordinator/teacher.
2

Who is responsible for science policy and provision

within the setting?

The school

(Can we obtain a copy of the policy?)

Online/Blended Learning:

There is no online site

Does the setting have its own website? If so, what is the
URL, who created it and who is responsible for managing
and updating it?
Is there any online/blended learning taking place related to
science? If so, how is this delivered?

What ICT resources are used specifically for teaching

science?
4

What science equipment/manipulatives/resources can

be found the setting? (Is there a list? Differentiate between the
classroom; the science lab and other areas in the setting e.g. library)

Is there a budget for materials?

The materials have a budget. The teachers were

training before came to the school, however they take
a workshop to develop their skills. The one who is
responsible about managing the equipment is science
coordinator.

Who trains teachers and staff in the use the equipment?

Who manages the equipment and materials?
5

Is/Are there dedicated science labs in this setting?

If yes, how is it used and by whom? How is it organised?
What equipment can be found here?
If no, why not? e.g. lack of funds? No need? Enough science
equipment and expertise in each classroom?
Does the setting feel it has enough specialist science
teachers, technicians and dedicated science rooms?

The labs used by teachers and student. There are two

labs. In the front the teacher table and in the middle
are students table. Beside the walls there tables for
sorting the materials and above it sink. The place had
enough specialist science teachers, technicians and
dedicated science room.

Which science resources does the setting feel it needs or

would like to have to achieve its vision or better science
teaching and learning?

Science kits, books, lab equipment, models and wifi.

e.g. Science Kits, books, wifi, manipulatives/models, digital

cameras/camcorders, lab equipment OR soft materials
(consumables- colored paper, glue, popsicle sticks etc.).
7

What are the safety rules?

Are the safety rules posted in the science setting?

There are safety rules hanging in the wall and who

develop that was the school.

Who developed these and are they mandatory/enforced?

8

What safety equipment is available and when is it used

commonly?
Is safety equipment available for all students in the
classrooms?
Is equipment cleaned, if so by whom? Who manages this
duty?

Planning for learning- how are the science lessons

planned for in the setting?
Does the MOE/Zone/KHDA provide unit plans/lesson plans?
(can we obtain a copy of this?)

There are the red thing its like shower and cleaning
for the eyes, when students by accident some liquid
fall in his clothes he can clean himself in that thing.
Other, when the smoke fill the lab there is machine
taking all the smoke to outside. The equipment is
clean by students before doing the experiment and
when they finish they clean it.
The planning of learning depend on term planned.
The teachers provide the plan as weekly curriculum
palmary. There is a daily discus plan about that topic
and we manage the lesson and what students need to
know.

Are there weekly planning meetings? What is usually done

in the planning meetings?
Who attends the planning meetings?

10

Does the school have specific goals related to science

(TIMMS scores etc.)?

How is learning assessed in the science classroom?

Is there an assessment plan for the semester? What does it
include?

To assess the students, teachers used summative

assessment to assess students learning. The teacher
collect students data for help him to improve.
Students get the feedback as target sectary and
showing projects

Do teachers collect student data? What data, when, and

what is it used for?
How do students get feedback so that they can make
improvements?
11

What science professional development / training do

teachers currently receive or have recently had?
How frequently and from whom did they /are they receiving
this?
Do they have a document that outlines this PD?
What PD do they think teachers in the setting still need?

We gain new materials for the students and we

encourage teacher to go to the workshop, that are
part of PD.