Primary Science Teaching Trust
Primary Science Teaching Trust is a UK charitable trust that delivers primary science teaching resources, paid CPD courses, and in-school mentor support to schools and teachers across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, holding the exclusive UK licence for the Thinking, Doing, Talking Science methodology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersBristol, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Primary Science Teaching Trust does
Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT) is a UK-registered educational charity (no. 1190196) and company limited by guarantee (no. 12596629), headquartered in Bristol. Established in 1997 as the Zeneca Science Teaching Trust with a £20 million endowment from pharmaceutical company Zeneca, the organisation was renamed PSTT in 2012 to reflect its sole focus on primary science education. It serves primary schools across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, employing approximately 25 staff including a CEO, five functional directors, communications staff, finance officers, and a national network of Regional and Area Mentors.
PSTT's product portfolio is built around three pillars: (i) downloadable teaching resources and curriculum-linked classroom materials, including The Cycle of Plastic resource developed with Plymouth Marine Laboratory; (ii) paid and free professional development, delivered via two-day Thinking, Doing, Talking Science (TDTS) courses (£250 per teacher), webinar series, regional conferences, and the Primary Science Teacher Awards programme that feeds a College of Fellows with 150+ members; and (iii) bespoke in-school support delivered by Regional Mentors across 11+ UK regions. PSTT holds the exclusive UK national licence for the TDTS methodology from The Oxford Trust, a research-based approach cited in the Education Endowment Foundation's 2023 guidance. Technology is a supporting layer rather than the core product — the stack comprises Vimeo for video, Eventbrite for ticketing, and MailChimp for newsletters.
PSTT earns revenue through a hybrid model combining (a) the investment returns and drawdown from its original £20M charitable endowment (over £10M of which had been deployed into science education by 2015), (b) fee-based CPD courses and school-wide resource subscriptions priced between £25 and £250 per product, and (c) grant funding, including Welsh Government support for TDTS delivery in Wales. Its GTM is community-led and field-driven, relying on Regional Mentors for bottom-of-funnel in-school engagement, partner referrals from PSQM, STEM Learning, The Ogden Trust and ASE for top-of-funnel reach, and events/webinars for mid-funnel conversion. Customer outcomes are strong and publicly disclosed, with 90–99% satisfaction across course, conference and mentor-engagement surveys.
Primary Science Teaching Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Primary Science Teaching Trust
- Legal name
- Primary Science Teaching Trust
- Website
- https://pstt.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Primary Science Teaching Trust is a UK charitable trust that delivers primary science teaching resources, paid CPD courses, and in-school mentor support to schools and teachers across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, holding the exclusive UK licence for the Thinking, Doing, Talking Science methodology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Primary Science Teaching Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Primary Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE)
Keywords
Where Primary Science Teaching Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bristol
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Primary Science Teaching Trust business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- CPD and Training Services: PSTT generates revenue through paid professional development courses including Thinking Doing Talking Science two-day courses (£250), webinar series, and training programs for teachers and science leaders.
- Resource Sales: Revenue from school-wide access packages for recorded materials, online science lessons, and educational resources. Pricing includes £50 for Online Science Lessons per school and £95 for Online Science Days.
- Charitable Trust Funding: As a registered charity (no. 1190196), PSTT operates with funding from its original endowment established in 1997 and ongoing charitable activities. By 2015, had invested over £10 million in science education.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Effective Science Leadership webinar series - full series |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Effective Science Leadership individual sessions |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Thinking Doing Talking Science two-day course |
| Subscription | Annual | Online Science Lessons school-wide access |
| Subscription | Annual | Science Enrichment Package |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Science for All webinar series |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Online Science Days - Primary |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Inspirational Online Science Days - Nursery |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Taking Primary Science Outdoors |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Bright Ideas Time Webinar |
| Subscription | Annual | Enquiry Types Webinar Series |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Primary Science Teaching Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PSTT is a registered educational charity that provides primary science teaching resources, continuing professional development (CPD) courses, in-school support delivered through a network of Regional Mentors, and recognition programs (Primary Science Teacher Awards) for primary school teachers across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The organisation develops and disseminates curriculum-aligned teaching materials and operates the exclusive UK licence for the Thinking, Doing, Talking Science approach.
Product overview
PSTT offers a comprehensive suite of products and services for primary science education, comprising teaching resources (downloadable lesson plans and classroom materials), professional development programmes (Thinking, Doing, Talking Science CPD courses, webinar series, and network meetings), in-school support through the Regional Mentor Programme, and the Primary Science Teacher Awards which recognises excellence and creates a College of Fellows. The portfolio also includes specific products like Online Science Lessons, Science Enrichment Packages, and subject leader tools. The core offering is a platform combining resources, CPD, and direct support services to help schools achieve excellent primary science teaching across the UK.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Primary Science Teacher Awards (PSTA): Awards celebrating the commitment, creativity and skills of primary science teachers across the UK. Awardees become part of the PSTT College of Fellows.
- Thinking, Doing, Talking Science
- PSTT College of Fellows
- Regional Mentor Programme
- Primary Science Quality Mark (PSQM) Partnership
Products and services
- Teaching Resources
- Thinking, Doing, Talking Science (TDTS)
- Online Science Lessons
- Regional Mentor Programme
- Primary Science Teacher Awards (PSTA)
- Effective Science Leadership Webinar Series
- Science for Early Career Teachers
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% of teachers reported a positive change in understanding how to develop children's oracy skills after attending Thinking, Doing, Talking Science course
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Primary Science Teaching Trust
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Primary Science Teaching Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Primary Science Teaching Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Primary Science Quality Mark (PSQM)corePSQM is a one-year school improvement programme for primary science providing professional development. PSTT is a long-term supporter through strategic partnership with the University of Hertfordshire.
- SSERCminorSSERC offers services supporting STEM areas of the curriculum. Partnership provides health and safety guidance referenced in PSTT resources.
- STEM LearningcoreSTEM Learning works with UK Government, employers, and educational establishments to deliver positive STEM outcomes. Partnership extends reach to schools engaged with STEM Learning programs.
- The Ogden TrustcoreThe Ogden Trust supports schools, teachers, and projects committed to enhancing physics teaching and learning. Jointly commissioned State of Primary Science report in 2025.
- Shine TrustminorSHINE is an education charity working with teachers and schools to help disadvantaged children in the North of England.
- The Association for Science Education (ASE)coreASE is an active membership body supporting all those involved in science education. Many PSTT Fellows are active ASE members.
- Plymouth Marine LaboratoryminorPSTT collaborated with Plymouth Marine Laboratory to create The Cycle of Plastic resource, featuring video content from scientists.
- The Oxford TrustcorePSTT holds exclusive license from The Oxford Trust to deliver Thinking, Doing, Talking Science courses across the UK as the lead national partner.
- Science Made SimpleminorCollaboration for Wales-based Thinking, Doing, Talking Science courses, funded by Welsh Government as part of Boosting Science Education in Wales initiative.
- Lightyear FoundationminorPartnership with Lightyear Foundation which improves access for children with SEND to STEM activities and careers.
- University of Manchester (SEERIH)minorPartnership with SEERIH (Science and Engineering Education Research and Innovation Hub) for research projects including QuSmart on children's scientific questions. Co-commissioned State of Primary Science report.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Primary Science Teaching Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Ogden Trust: UK charitable trust that funds physics teaching and learning in schools through partnerships, teacher fellowships and school programmes. Directly comparable to PSTT as a similarly structured science education trust with which PSTT actively co-publishes research.
- Primary Science Quality Mark (PSQM): School improvement programme for primary science run by the University of Hertfordshire, of which PSTT is a long-term strategic supporter. Closely comparable in addressing the same primary science improvement pain points through structured accreditation and CPD pathways.
- STEM Learning: UK-based charity that delivers STEM CPD, resources and school engagement programmes across primary and secondary education. Highly comparable to PSTT in mission, UK school-focused delivery model and reliance on teacher CPD as the primary lever for impact.
Broad incumbents
- Royal Institution: UK science education charity operating public engagement, school programmes and teacher CPD. Comparable to PSTT in the teacher development dimension, but operates across a much broader age range and remit.
- British Science Association: UK charity running science engagement programmes including the CREST awards and British Science Week that reach into primary schools. Comparable to PSTT in its school-facing science mission, but operates at broader national-event scale.
- Association for Science Education (ASE): UK-wide membership body supporting science educators across all phases including primary. Comparable to PSTT in serving primary science teachers, but operates at broader scope across secondary and tertiary and as a membership association rather than CPD provider.
Others
- Wellcome Trust: Major UK charitable foundation funding science education, research and engagement. Adjacent rather than competitive: relevant comparator for endowment-funded science education activity and grant partnership dynamics that shape PSTT's funding environment.
- Education Endowment Foundation (EEF): UK education research and grant-making charity producing evidence-based teaching guidance. Adjacent enabler: EEF cited PSTT's TDTS methodology in its 2023 guidance, making it a key influence on demand for PSTT's CPD.
Regional players
- SSERC: Scottish Schools Education Research Centre providing STEM resources, training and health & safety guidance to schools. Comparable to PSTT in delivering CPD and curriculum resources, but with a primarily Scottish geographic focus.
Emerging players
- Centre for Industry Education Collaboration (CIEC), University of York: University-based unit producing science teaching resources and industry-linked classroom materials for primary and secondary schools. Comparable niche to PSTT in resource development and teacher support, with overlapping but not identical target segments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Primary Science Teaching Trust social profiles
Digital presencePrimary Science Teaching Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Primary Science Teaching Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Primary Science Teaching Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Primary Science Teaching Trust M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Primary Science Teaching Trust
What does Primary Science Teaching Trust do?
PSTT is a registered educational charity that provides primary science teaching resources, continuing professional development (CPD) courses, in-school support delivered through a network of Regional Mentors, and recognition programs (Primary Science Teacher Awards) for primary school teachers across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The organisation develops and disseminates curriculum-aligned teaching materials and operates the exclusive UK licence for the Thinking, Doing, Talking Science approach.
Is Primary Science Teaching Trust a public or private company?
Primary Science Teaching Trust is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Primary Science Teaching Trust founded?
Primary Science Teaching Trust was founded in 1997. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Primary Science Teaching Trust based?
Primary Science Teaching Trust is headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Primary Science Teaching Trust make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. CPD and Training Services are the primary driver. The others are resource Sales and charitable Trust Funding.
Who are Primary Science Teaching Trust's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Ogden Trust, Primary Science Quality Mark (PSQM) and STEM Learning. Broad incumbents are Royal Institution, British Science Association and Association for Science Education (ASE). Others are Wellcome Trust and Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). SSERC is listed as a regional player. Centre for Industry Education Collaboration (CIEC), University of York is listed as an emerging player.
Does Primary Science Teaching Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for Primary Science Teaching Trust.
What industry is Primary Science Teaching Trust in?
Primary Science Teaching Trust's product category is Primary Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAALAE, Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD). Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.