Cestria — A subject-specific science exercise book built around BEL learning objectives and exit tickets

The brief

Cestria came to us for a science exercise book that would carry the school's pedagogy on its pages — not just provide somewhere to write. The team wanted the book to do three jobs in one: set clear expectations for how children look after their work, structure every lesson around a By End Lesson (BEL) learning objective tracked across the school's six-week teaching block, and give children a consistent way to self-assess and reflect. It also needed to feel unmistakably like Cestria — the school's teal, the rocket, and the "every child is a star" strapline on the cover.

What we designed

Working with Cestria, we built a science book organised around four repeating components.

A "treat your exercise book with respect" charter on the inside front, setting expectations clearly for primary-age learners: diagrams in pencil, neat crossings-out, ruled underlining, no graffiti, no scribbling out, no torn pages.
A pedagogy and exit ticket reference spread that explains the school's approach in the children's own book — verbal feedback, live marking, children in the driving seat — alongside the AFL six-week teaching block (Week 1 assessment, Weeks 2–4 new knowledge and skills, Week 5 review, Week 6 reteach and consolidate), an eight-prompt Exit Ticket menu (key points, today I learnt, summary, key words, what I could use help with, tweet of the lesson, two excellent points, what I found most interesting) and a six-face self-assessment scale.
A repeating BEL topic spread used for each of the six science topics: a "By the end of the lesson…" objective panel for the teacher and pupil to set the goal, paired with a topic tracker grid covering all six lessons in the block and a "verbal feedback given" marker.
A key words and misspelt words section at the back, with a "Key Word / What it means" log so children build subject-specific vocabulary as they go, plus a dedicated misspelt words list.

The book closes with a full-page Cestria Primary School personal development reminder — follow directions first time, listen carefully, use kind words, support each other, always do your best, do the right thing not the easy thing, respect yourself and others, be honest, and "remember success comes in cans not can'ts" — so the school's behaviour and values framework sits inside every child's science book.

The finished book

Printed in Cestria's teal with the rocket motif on the cover and the "every child is a star… it's our job to make them shine!" strapline along the foot. One book per child per science block, with the school's pedagogy, expectations and values built into the pages alongside the lesson work.