THE amazing world of science is coming alive in primary schools across the country, thanks to a national organisation based in a ‘Wendy House’ in the grounds of Ridgeway Academy in Redditch.
The Ogden Trust is on a mission to bring the wonders of physics into the classroom, empowering teachers to teach inspiring lessons to fire the imaginations of today’s pupils.
Driving the project is Wendy Cox, a woman with a passion for physics and steeped in education at both primary and secondary levels.
A qualified headteacher, she’s worked at both St Augustine’s and Alcester Grammar before being approached by the Ogden Trust, initially to be their physics consultant for the West Midlands before being given national responsibility for raising the profile of the subjects.
“Science really is a core subject and it’s also a buzzword at the moment,” said Wendy, who lives in Webheath. “Any school involved with the Ogden Trust, both for the teachers and pupils, is getting a fantastic science opportunity.”
At the heart of the project is the ‘Phiz Lab’, a fully-resourced classroom dedicated to physics where pupils can get to grips with real scientific inquiry.
“We’re looking for primary children to be inspired to study physics at GCSE, A-Level and then at university. It’s a massive, massive challenge but already it’s growing exponentially,” said Wendy.
The trust has established links with the University of Birmingham and the University of Worcester, where a phiz lab has been installed to help train primary teachers. It has also set up the Primary Science Quality Mark, with Ridgeway Academy targeting the Gold Standard this year.
Key to the initiative is supporting the continued professional development of teachers, giving them the confidence to push the boundaries to deliver unforgettable lessons to youngsters.
“I always think of primary teachers as a GP – they know about everything and we’re just giving them the encouragement to enrich what they do,” said Wendy.
And with inspiring figures like British astronaut Tim Peake doing his first space walk last week, the ends of the universe and beyond really are the limit.
