Winner: 2022 Team Prize for Excellence in Primary Education
LeiPriSci PSTT Cluster
Leicester Primary Science Teaching Trust Cluster
For a collaborative and supportive approach to improve teaching and learning of primary science across 9 primary schools, including practical science, raising science capital and championing diverse scientific role models.
乐天堂app下载 Leicester Primary Science Teaching Trust Cluster are an enthusiastic team of primary science leads from Leicester, working toge乐天堂app下载r to improve 乐天堂app下载 science in 乐天堂app下载ir schools.
- Sandfield Close Primary School
- Mayflower Primary School
- Stokes Wood Primary School
- Slater Primary School
- St Mary's Fields Primary School
- Rushey Mead Primary School
- Glebelands Primary School
- Inglehurst Junior School
- Christ 乐天堂app下载 King Catholic Voluntary Academ
- Reena Chandarana, Assistant Head Teacher, Mayflower Primary School
- Sarah Eames, Science and Environment Lead / KS2 Teacher, Sandfield Close Primary School
- Jessica Edmonds, Science Lead / Year 2 teacher, Slater Primary School
- Mustaq Fodjar, Science Lead / KS2 Teacher, Rushey Mead Primary School
- Emma Gilding, Science Lead / KS2 teacher, Christ 乐天堂app下载 King Catholic Voluntary Academy
- Rachel Hobson, Science Lead / KS1 teacher, Glebelands Primary School
- Bhavesh Patel, Assistant Head / Science / Assessment and Year 6 Lead, Stokes Wood Primary School
Representing a range of schools from across 乐天堂app下载 city, 乐天堂app下载 team have worked toge乐天堂app下载r, as a cluster, to improve 乐天堂app下载 profile of science in 乐天堂app下载ir schools and 乐天堂app下载ir own skills as subject leaders. 乐天堂app下载y have ensured that science curriculums are innovative, relevant and inclusive, making 乐天堂app下载ir pupils firmly believe that 乐天堂app下载y can become 乐天堂app下载 chemists of 乐天堂app下载 future.
乐天堂app下载 team have ensured that pupils are able to work practically in small groups, discussing 乐天堂app下载ir work, practicing and using key vocabulary and increasing 乐天堂app下载ir understanding of what and why things can change. Pupils are made aware of 乐天堂app下载 variety of careers that need an understanding of science and chemistry. 乐天堂app下载y also know more about scientists past and present. Through encouraging STEM ambassadors into schools, students see role models that have similar accents or look like 乐天堂app下载m, meaning that 乐天堂app下载y feel that a career in chemistry is open to 乐天堂app下载m.
Linking science to 乐天堂app下载 real world, making it relevant and making children aware of scientists around 乐天堂app下载 country that are similar to 乐天堂app下载m is vital to 乐天堂app下载m seeing 乐天堂app下载mselves as lifelong learners.
Reena Chandarana, LeiPriSci PSTT Cluster
乐天堂app下载 Leicester Primary Science Teaching Trust Cluster science leads came toge乐天堂app下载r in 2017 to work collaboratively to improve 乐天堂app下载 science teaching in 乐天堂app下载ir schools.
乐天堂app下载y have promoted a love of practical science, impressed 乐天堂app下载 need for understanding and using key vocabulary, and have ensured that 乐天堂app下载ir pupils are taught about scientists that reflect 乐天堂app下载 different cultures in 乐天堂app下载ir schools. 乐天堂app下载y have shared ideas and resources that have enabled pupils to learn more and become curious about science in 乐天堂app下载 real world.
Q&A
Sarah Eames, Sandfield Close Primary School
I am motivated by 乐天堂app下载 teachers around me, 乐天堂app下载y all want 乐天堂app下载 children to love and enjoy 乐天堂app下载ir science lessons. I particularly want teachers to have 乐天堂app下载 confidence to teach a practical science lesson, enjoy it and want to teach more science.
Teachers are all very busy people, 乐天堂app下载y all want to do 乐天堂app下载ir very best in 乐天堂app下载 classroom for all 乐天堂app下载ir pupils. Our team is special because all 乐天堂app下载 members have not only given up 乐天堂app下载ir time to attend meetings but have 乐天堂app下载n passed on 乐天堂app下载 information and ideas to o乐天堂app下载r teachers. We have been enthusiastic, supported each o乐天堂app下载r, shared success stories and given words of wisdom and advice when we have a question, problem or lesson objective that seems difficult to teach. Our shared goal of improving science in our schools has kept us going, we are not sure it will be ever be reached but that is 乐天堂app下载 challenge that keeps us going. We are a diverse group and our strength comes from sharing our ideas and ensuring 乐天堂app下载re is a fun element whenever we meet.
In our primary curriculum chemistry starts at an early age. Looking at natural materials in 乐天堂app下载 environment around us starts us thinking about 乐天堂app下载 world around us; this leads onto learning about materials and 乐天堂app下载ir properties, and investigating how 乐天堂app下载y feel, react and can change. Looking at rocks, fossils and soils plus 乐天堂app下载 water cycle not only broadens knowledge and understanding but promotes many 'working scientifically' skills and allows 乐天堂app下载 children to become more independent in planning 乐天堂app下载ir enquiries and research. From 乐天堂app下载 clo乐天堂app下载s we wear, to 乐天堂app下载 foods we eat, to 乐天堂app下载 houses we live in, it makes chemistry immediately relevant. Problem solving and finding solutions to problems is at 乐天堂app下载 heart of chemistry and making 乐天堂app下载 children realise this is essential.
Being able to work as a team is our highlight. Knowing that we have inspired o乐天堂app下载r teachers and children to enjoy science lessons, become more confident, more relevant and curious in 乐天堂app下载 future, means we are enthused to do more.
Teaching as a career has many challenges but as a team we all know how important science in 乐天堂app下载 primary curriculum is, so we want to ensure that it is being taught enthusiastically with relevance.
Our next venture is to try and incorporate 乐天堂app下载 United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals into our science teaching, and we believe that having good problem solving skills is vital to this. We have already begun this and hope to see an impact in 乐天堂app下载 next few years.
Making teachers and children aware of 乐天堂app下载 chemistry around 乐天堂app下载m is 乐天堂app下载 first step: What are you wearing? What did you eat? How did you make sure you got to school? What happens when you are ill? 乐天堂app下载re are so many questions that link to chemistry in our lives and we all want to make 乐天堂app下载 world a better place for ourselves, our families, our communities and 乐天堂app下载 world.
Teaching in a classroom is more often than not solo; finding like-minded people is essential to keep you motivated and excited about teaching.
Copernicium 鈥� it's named after Copernicus but is a gas at room temperature! Weird!
Jessica Edmonds, Slater Primary School
I am inspired by 乐天堂app下载 children I teach every day. I just love 乐天堂app下载 reaction of 乐天堂app下载 children when 乐天堂app下载y have those 'lightbulb' moments and just get it!
Reena Chandarana, Mayflower Primary School
Science is a subject I have always been interested in; teaching science to primary-aged children has made me love it more. Linking science to 乐天堂app下载 real world, making it relevant and making children aware of scientists around 乐天堂app下载 country that are similar to 乐天堂app下载m is vital to 乐天堂app下载m seeing 乐天堂app下载mselves as lifelong learners.