The basic contention that a more imaginative, creative, and challenging approach will result in better achievement in SATs--in other words, if the children enjoy their science they will do better--was the basis of a project at Oxford Brookes University. The project was devised to encourage and enable the participating teachers to develop a cognitively challenging curriculum in primary science. Year 6 was chosen as a focus partially because it would be possible to gauge any impact on the science key stage 2 SATs results. The project involved 16 schools and two key teachers within each school: the science coordinator and a year 6 class teacher. The key features of the impact of the project on the participants' science lessons are: (1) More focused recording by the children, with less time spent in writing; (2) Increased time within lessons spent in discussion of scientific ideas; (3) More opportunities for hands-on, practical investigation; and (4) An increased emphasis on encouraging children's use of higher order thinking. The project was evaluated in a number of ways, including the effect on the children's attitudes, the teachers' attitudes, and the key stage 2 science SATs results.