In this summer 2018 edition of JES, we include the extended abstracts from some of the presentations delivered at the 2017 European Science Education Research Association (ESERA) Conference in Dublin, Ireland. These offer a 'taster' of the international research into early years and emergent science happening across the globe. More of these abstracts will appear in issue 16.  Also in this issue we are pleased to include two articles from Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT) fellows, one on the use of drama techniques and dialogic practices in primary schools, the other looking at how teachers' attempts to improve assessment practice in primary science are influenced by job role and teaching experience.