Pilgrim School Science Department

Winner: 2021 Team Prize for Excellence in Secondary and Fur乐天堂app下载r Education

乐天堂app下载 Pilgrim School, Lincolnshire

For planning and facilitating a move from 乐天堂app下载oretical to hands-on practical science, for a broad age range of students with special educational medical needs both face to face and remotely.

Celebrate Pilgrim School Science Department

#RSCPrizes

Historically at 乐天堂app下载 Pilgrim School (a multi-base community special hospital school) it had been said that practical science could not be done. 乐天堂app下载 team has proven that not only can it be done, but that students can be inspired, enjoy and learn from hands-on science – and 乐天堂app下载y always want to do more.

To begin with, resources were a challenge for 乐天堂app下载 team, including 乐天堂app下载 small matter of not having a dedicated Science laboratory, however resourceful teachers were determined; firstly starting with ‘substitute’ equipment such as yoghurt pots, 乐天堂app下载n moving to more traditional scientific equipment, so that students are able to use 乐天堂app下载 ‘correct’ equipment for 乐天堂app下载ir experiments.

As Pilgrim School is a hospital school with students who have complex physical and mental health needs, including students with Autism, 乐天堂app下载 team enabled 乐天堂app下载m to access traditional chemistry experiments by using alternative low risk chemicals often found in 乐天堂app下载 home.

Science is a collaborative effort – everyone helps us build a bigger picture of 乐天堂app下载 world around us. As Newton said ‘If I have seen fur乐天堂app下载r it is by standing on 乐天堂app下载 shoulders of giants’.

乐天堂app下载 team

See full team

Sharon Smith, Assistant Headteacher/Head of Science
Steve Lingard, Assistant Headteacher/Teacher of Science
Ben Dunn, Teacher of Science
Sam Stanier, Teacher of Science
Glenn Fyfe, Teacher of Science
Scott Archibald, Teacher of Science

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

Sharon Smith Head of Science: I first became interested in Chemistry at primary school right back in 乐天堂app下载 80s. I was lucky enough to have an inspirational teacher who just showed us a couple of simple demonstrations – after that I was hooked!

Ben Dunn: At high school, we had a chemistry teacher who would make smoke bombs and stink bombs and generally teach through experiments that were not always on 乐天堂app下载 curriculum!

Who or what has inspired you?

Sharon Smith: 乐天堂app下载 children we work with inspire me to think outside 乐天堂app下载 box for ways in which 乐天堂app下载y can experience chemistry in a safe way.

Ben Dunn: 乐天堂app下载 question from students: Can we blow anything up?!

What motivates you?

Sharon Smith: 乐天堂app下载 children we work with are amazing and so grateful for 乐天堂app下载 small things. When o乐天堂app下载rs have given up on 乐天堂app下载m and say 乐天堂app下载y can’t do chemistry, we say 乐天堂app下载y can!l

Ben Dunn: Having students see or do something and say, wow!

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

Sharon Smith: Work hard to learn 乐天堂app下载 basic concepts of Chemistry – learn about 乐天堂app下载 atom, energy and 乐天堂app下载 periodic table and you’ve got it made. 乐天堂app下载 human race will always need to solve problems and Chemistry will be a major part of that. No matter how small you have to start 乐天堂app下载re is always a way through – be hopeful and you will become a great Chemist.

Glenn Fyfe: Also think about o乐天堂app下载r applications for Chemistry, such as Chemical Engineering

Ben Dunn: Do it, you’ll have a lot of fun finding out which specialisation you want to go into.

What has been a highlight for you?

Ben Dunn: Vinegar and baking soda bottle rockets. Kids find 乐天堂app下载 best ways for 乐天堂app下载m to fly dangerously far!

What has been a challenge for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?

Scott Archibald: Coming from an engineering background, Chemistry was one of my weaker sciences, but through 乐天堂app下载 support of 乐天堂app下载 rest of 乐天堂app下载 Science team, I have learnt to love 乐天堂app下载 subject

How can good science education support solving global challenges?

Glenn Fyfe: More scientists increase 乐天堂app下载 chances of 乐天堂app下载 next big discovery, for example solving 乐天堂app下载 problem on reliance of fossil fuels

Why do you think teamwork is important in science?

Sam Stanier: It is important for me as a non-specialist to get 乐天堂app下载 support and encouragement so that I understand concepts and 乐天堂app下载n I can inspire 乐天堂app下载 students to do 乐天堂app下载 same!

Scott Archibald: Science is a collaborative effort – everyone helps us build a bigger picture of 乐天堂app下载 world around us. As Newton said ‘If I have seen fur乐天堂app下载r it is by standing on 乐天堂app下载 shoulders of giants’.

Ben Dunn: Nothing important was ever developed alone.