CREST Star Investigators is a brand new, UK-wide award scheme that enables children to solve scientific problems through practical investigation. The activities focus on thinking about, talking about, and doing science. These could be useful "club" activiites for Y7 or be built into your SoW. The rquirement for students to undertake their own investigation in the new PoS for KS3 means you will be looking for inspiration soon.
Perhaps this scheme is a way of accrediting that work and may act as a motivator.
Follow link to BA site.
http://www.the-ba.net/the-ba/YPP/CRESTStarInvestigators/
The main CREST awards are still very useful and may be more suited for the new PoS at KS3.
http://www.the-ba.net/the-ba/YPP/BACRESTAwards/index.html