Fantastic science for pupils and parents at Redditch primary school - The Redditch Standard

Fantastic science for pupils and parents at Redditch primary school

Redditch Editorial 5th Oct, 2018   0

STUNNING science lessons inspired by a visit to the world’s most powerful particle collider are on the curriculum for pupils at a Redditch infants school.

The youngsters, from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School, will be playing with protons and more as part of a UK-wide, but Redditch-based, initiative to get more children – and their parents – inspired by science.

The school’s assistant headteacher and science leader Lorraine Burrows was one of ten teachers selected by the Ogden Trust, based at Ridgeway Academy in Astwood Bank, to visit the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland.

“I was extremely lucky to be chosen to visite such an inspirational place with like-minded teachers, who feel as passionate about primary science as I do,” said Lorrraine.




“The workshops, tours and speakers brought together subject knowledge and relevance to the primary curriculum.

“Science teaching along with practical application in the primary classroom made this professional development experience unique.”


The school is already recruiting science assistants to help with experiments for the children and a family learning night, organised through the University of Birmingham, is being planned to bring new learning not only to the classroom but also the wider community.

The project is being driven by the Ogden Trust which aims to promote the science of physics so the youngsters today become the engineers and scientists of tomorrow.

It’s headed at primary level by Redditch resident Wendy Cox, who has recruited nearly 1,000 schools to the Ogden Trust partnership which at a local level has Birchensale Middle as the ‘hub’ for Redditch.

“There is some great science happening out there in primary schools,” said Wendy.

“We make physics applicable to pupils using things like felt and puppets so as their learning develops they understand the concepts.”

The work is regarded as of national importance with companies like JCB keen to get involved in primary education.

“A study has shown that when children are aged 11 to 14 that’s when they decide if science is for them,” said Wendy.

“We’ve found children love science but can’t see themselves following a career in it.

“We’re hoping to catch their interest early to change that outlook.”

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