In response to the publication of the HMIe reports Improving Science 5-14 (1999) and Standards and Quality in Secondary Schools: the Sciences (2000), Angus, Dundee City and Perth and Kinross Councils decided to improve the quality of the 5-14 Science curriculum and its delivery by providing schools with a programme of study, classroom materials, equipment and professional development.

In the early stages of this project, professional development was mainly delivered through centre-based training activities. However, consultation with classroom teachers, head teachers and cluster science coordinators revealed a need for in-class tutoring to improve teacher confidence in what is to be taught and how it might most effectively be delivered In response, in-class tutoring was promoted at both school and authority levels as a complement to training activities.

The very positive reaction by teachers to in-class tutoring led to measurable improvements in the planning and delivery of Science across the three Authorities The success of these developments encouraged the three authorities together to bid for Scottish Executive funding to produce an `Improving Science Education 5-14' CPD pack.

The success of this bid resulted in the Tayside Science Education Consortium being formed to produce a CPD pack to support the delivery of `Living Things and the Processes of Life'. Since the aim of the project is not only to explain the `what' of good teaching practice but also the 'how', it was decided to incorporate actual video footage of effective teaching practice as well as paper resources.

At present SSERC is organising the contents of the DVD and Resources discs into a web-based format on the ISE 5-14 website.