As a teacher, author Verity Jones found for many years that the science knowledge and understanding of the children she taught in year 6 (age 10-11) was being compromised by the pressures of a government focus on maths and literacy and a short-sighted approach to how to teach those subjects in a cross-curricular way. As the science coordinator for a primary school in Wales, she developed a two-year rolling plan for the whole school, where weekly sessions were planned for all classes, along with an audit of science training needs of staff. With a background in science, Jones was more than happy to take on the task, ensuring that skills were introduced and embedded in a cumulative way for children and teaching skills and knowledge were developed through peer mentoring, lesson studies, and professional dialogue (all embedded in the annual performance management programme and school development plan). In addition to this, class support was re-timetabled and every science lesson had a teaching assistant assigned to it. The resulting growth in confidence with regard to science teaching was notable, while the themed approach meant that science became the bedrock for the whole school curriculum, with all other subjects becoming the building blocks. This was a successful model; it not only ensured science was taught progressively, but it also demanded it be considered within the changing themes and topics. The impact was year-on-year improvement in science standards at the end of key stage, more confident teachers developing deeper interest in scientific knowledge, and plenty of evidence for cross-curricular numeracy and literacy.