Yorkshire and Humber Regional Big Bang fair

The Yorkshire and Humber Regional Big Bang fair, co-ordinated by the Centre for Science Education, will take place at Kelham Island Museum on Thursday 8 July.

This is a wonderful opportunity for secondary schools to demonstrate the work done by their pupils in science, technology engineering and mathematics.

Entries to the competition will be judged according to the CREST Awards scheme or the Young Engineer for Britain scheme.

For further details please visit the Big Bang Fair website.

STEM Leaders Qualification prize winners

Congratulations to the first round of winners of the Discover Chemistry sponsored STEM Leaders Qualification (SLQ) prizes!

First prize of £500 was awarded to a collaborative effort by Amy Frienship, Emily Jenkins and Lauren Lucas from Liskeard School and Community College. Runner up prizes of £300 were awarded to Mashuda Khandokar and Makena Talburt from Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls.

For further information about the SLQ please visit the centre's Personal Capabilities website, and for advice about the leadership skills, activities and schools linking, please contact Dr Lynne Bianchi.

Getting practical with CSE

The Centre for Science Education (CSE) is a partner in 'Getting Practical', a major Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) funded programme which focuses on making practical work in schools more effective.

As an essential part of science this is a timely initiative which will help teachers to take a fresh look at the purpose and value of practical activities in the classroom. CSE is responsible for the 'mapping' strand of the programme, which will lead into the continuing professional development programme for teachers.

CSE has also been working with leading researchers form the University of York to develop an audit tool for teachers to reflect on their practice.

For more information see www.gettingpractical.org.uk

STEM Leaders Qualification - courses available

The STEM Leaders Qualification (SLQ), developed by the Centre for Science Education in partnership with the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT), is being offered now through Edexcel's Workskills Framework.

Two one-day courses have been produced which aim to give you all you need to know about the qualification, how to get started, what types of experiences to provide and more.

Course dates and locations

• Tuesday 28 April 2009 - Bristol
• Wednesday 29 April 2009 - Exeter

About the award

• BTEC Award or Certificate Level 1 or 2
• the first qualification to accredit youngsters leadership skills through science, technology, engineering and mathematics
• target - pupils work on it from age 11 and be accredited from 14 years
• qualification - BTEC Level 1 or Level 2
• GCSE equivalence: D-G or A*-C, certificate carrying league table point equivalence 25 or 46 respectively

For more information about these courses and the SLQ please contact Dr Lynne Bianchi.

STEM Careers Action Programme - improving guidance on subject choice and careers

The STEM Careers Action Programme is a new initiative charged with improving the quality of advice and guidance about STEM careers to inform subject choice.

The programme is managed by the Centre for Science Education and VT Enterprise on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).

The National STEM Careers Coordinator, Kate Bellingham, is leading and co-ordinating the campaign, working with stakeholders and the organisations involved in delivery. Kate is a former Tomorrow's World presenter and frequent science and technology broadcaster, as well as being a qualified engineer, a maths teacher and a patron of WISE.

Please visit the research section for more information.

New STEM Leaders Qualification now available

The new STEM Leaders Qualification (SLQ), developed at the Centre for Science Education, is now available.

This BTEC Certificate Level 1 or 2, which is targeted at 11 to 16 year olds, is the first qualification to accredit youngsters' leadership skills through Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

The SLQ, developed in partnership with the Specialist Schools and Academic Trust (SSAT), is being offered by Edexcel and is housed within their Workskills Framework.

The qualification

• offers opportunity to accredit skills and capabilities along with leadership development not usually recognised in qualifications
• is contextualised and embedded in the STEM curriculum, in enhancement and enrichment activities, through work experience and extended learning
• supports school's engagement in emerging national STEM strategy
• provides a subject context for embedding, developing and assessing PLTS (Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills)

For futher information about the SLQ please visit the centre's Personal Capabilities website. For more information about the centre's involvement and advice about the leadership skills, activities and schools linking, please contact Dr Lynne Bianchi.

Introduction to Computer Aided Design - three day intensive course
21-23 January 2009

Local engineering employers are being asked to think creatively about tackling skills shortages.

The Women in SET team, in close collaboration with the University's School of Engineering, are offering a three day intensive CAD course for women working in administrative and support roles in the engineering sector. The students will create CAD models, try their hand at technical drawing, and will have access to all the University's learning and support systems to aid their progression.

The course is being funded by Higher Futures and follows a similar model for women working in the construction sector.

This course is a repeat of the successful CAD course held in the summer - to quote one participant, 'As from today I will plan my future in engineering CAD. I am more confident that I am able to take further courses - and that engineering is not just a man's world.'

Please contact Denise Eaton for further information.

Building Sustainable Communities course
2 June to 15 July

Twenty women from across South Yorkshire will be enrolling on a new course, starting in June, designed to provide an insight into sustainable community development.

The group will undertake a 'place check' or community audit, visit a number of housing and environmental projects, and come up with their own regeneration plan. They will also build a portfolio to demonstrate their learning and progression throughout the course.

This new Sheffield Hallam University initiative, funded by Higher Futures, is a collaborative venture between Planning, Regeneration and Housing and the Women in SET team. Its aim is to help students recognise and build on their existing skills and experience, provide a taste of university life, and encourage them to further their careers in sustainable community development.

For more information please contact Denise Eaton.

SMART SCIENCE - Activating Personal Capabilities in Science
Have you checked out Smart Science yet?
6 June 2008

Smart Science is the exciting and innovative Key Stage 2 teacher resource pack, developed by the Centre for Science Education, that brings together personal capabilities learning with scientific enquiry skills.

The pack builds on 'The Personal Capabilities™ in Science Programme', born in 1999 at CSE. This research showed that by proactively using Personal Capabilities children are increasingly scientifically capable and responsible learners.

Smart Science therefore embeds the Personal Capabilities of teamwork, self management, creativity, problem solving and communication into science learning activities and reinforces work in thinking skills and personal, social and emotional development. The pack helps all teachers, teaching assistants, senior managers and parents or carers working with children aged around 9-11 years old to help improve children's self awareness and Personal Capabilities. It is not just for Science teachers!

Climate Futures - web resource turns school students into environmentalists
6 June 2008

KS2 and KS3 pupils will be environmental pioneers after using a brand new online climate change resource launched today by the Centre for Science Education.

Climate Futures is a new contemporary curriculum resource that focuses on unravelling the complexity of climate change issues for 10-14 year olds. The materials include comprehensive teacher notes, pupil resources and activities for youngsters at home, at school or in their local community. They are underpinned by the development of personal capability skills to promote critical thinking, communication, self-belief, creativity and teamwork.

Each environment task follows the same format

• stimulus activity - engaging pupils through motivational real world climate change issues
• main task - encouraging pupils to actively engage with different learning styles
• dilemma activity - providing pupils with environmental problems to solve, posing conflicting viewpoints to promote discussion and encourage pupils to think of creative solutions
• making a difference activity - provides pupils with stimulation to extend learning and action further at school and at home, with an emphasis on engaging with issues to preserve our environment

The resources have been developed by the Centre for Science Education with funding from the Comino Foundation, and are free to download from the UPD8 for schools website.

STEMPoint success
19 May 2008

The Centre for Science Education has recently been awarded contracts by STEMNET for both STEM brokerage and SEAs management in South Yorkshire. These contracts are for three years beginning in August 2008 and both build upon the very successful work of SETPOINT South Yorkshire in promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in the region, as well as organising the Science and Engineering Ambassadors (SEAs) programme.

The aim of the brokerage activity is to work with all schools in the South Yorkshire region and encourage them to engage more fully with STEM enhancement activities. In doing so, each school will be moved along the 'STEM escalator' to increasing levels of engagement. The SEAs programme involves working with over 300 volunteers from industry, commerce and academia in linking with young people to promote STEM subjects.

Dr Richard Walton, Director of SETPOINT South Yorkshire said, 'We are very pleased that the work of the Centre has been recognised in this way. The team is looking forward to meeting the challenges that the new contracts will present particularly in developing a more active brokerage role.'

For more information please contact Dr Richard Walton.

Student Associates Scheme contract renewed
9 May 2008

After two very successful years of working in partnership with the University of York on the Student Associates Scheme (SAS), the Training and Development Agency for Schools has offered CSE and York a new three year contract.

SAS is a placement scheme for undergraduate students that gives them a 15 day taster of life as a school teacher. Its aims are to increase interest in teaching, especially in the shortage subjects of physics, chemistry and maths, but also to raise the aspirations of young people in schools to consider continuing their education beyond the age of 16.

We are currently starting to recruit for training and placement in the next academic year so please get in touch with Marilyn Brodie if you are interested.

Centre awarded contract to run regional SLC
1 May 2008

The Centre for Science Education has been awarded a three year contract from April 2007 to run the regional Science Learning Centre for Yorkshire and the Humber on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The contract will be managed by the National Science Learning Centre.

Science Learning Centres provide continuing professional development (CPD) courses for science teachers. During the first phase of operation from January 2005 to March 2008, over 4000 teachers from primary, secondary and post-16 schools and colleges have received training at the Science Learning Centre.

John Wardle, the Director of the Centre, said 'This is a great opportunity to build on the good work completed and continue to drive forward science education in the region. We look forward to working with more schools and teachers over the next three years'.

Please contact John Wardle for further information.

Region's teachers visit CERN - the Largest Physics Experiment In The World
24 - 28 March 2008

A group of secondary and post-16 teachers from across the Yorkshire and the Humber region were recently privileged to visit CERN, the European Organisation For Nuclear Research, near Geneva, Switzerland. This exciting trip, from 24 - 28 March 2008, was part of a professional development programme organised by the Science Learning Centre in conjunction with the UK Educational Director at CERN and funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council.

The eight teachers from the region, accompanied by two SLC staff, experienced a range of tours and lectures as part of a larger contingent of UK and Polish visitors. The content of the programme included visiting the facilities at CERN, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the ATLAS experiment, the Anti-matter Factory, the Microcosm exhibition and lectures and workshops on particle physics and cosmology and their related theories, technologies and applications.

The participants were especially fortunate to be able to don hard hats and visit the LHC, the 27km long scientific World Wonder that lies 100m beneath the Swiss and French border - they were informed that they would be one of the last educational groups to be allowed to see this before it is due to be switched on during Summer 2008. The LHC will accelerate particles to over 99.9 per cent of the speed of light and these will be collided and the products analysed in the enormous ATLAS detector. It is hoped that the results of these experiments will confirm many of the amazing theories of the past 50 years and uncover some of the mysteries of the cosmos and the matter of which is made.

The general consensus among those who participated was that it was a very stimulating and worthwhile trip, and it provided them with lots of material and ideas on how to enthuse their pupils and further their understanding of physics and the Universe.

Eco-engineering for girls
14 March 2008

Did you know that 48 per cent of the earth's harmful greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings? This is one of the startling facts that girls from Tapton School in Sheffield and Brinsworth School in Rotherham learnt when they visited Sheffield Hallam University during National Science and Engineering Week.

Thirty girls surveyed a real property to assess sources of heat gain and loss, and explored the properties of green roofs to support environmental sustainability. This interactive event was a joint venture between the Women in SET team within the CSE and SHU's Engineering Department, and was designed to help girls develop a greater awareness of and passion for engineering.

The girls met role models working in engineering, and talked about what it is like to study engineering at University. Andy Young, Senior Lecturer in Engineering at Sheffield Hallam University said 'I think it's brilliant to see so many enthusiastic school children here who have asked some very important questions about renewable energy.'

Please contact Denise Eaton for further information.

Family Science Saturday in the Winter Gardens
8 March 2008

Back for its third running year, supported by CSE and RA3, Family Science Saturday in the Garden proved to be a popular opportunity for members of the public of all ages to meet exciting scientists and engineers from across the UK and find out about the work that they do.

Taking part this year were scientists including Ceri Harrop who studies mucus, Simon Choppin, a sports engineer from Sheffield Hallam University, Abdul Hoque and his team who research into polymers and David Garlovsky who promotes new technologies to inform people's decisions on future energy usage.

Please contact Andy Bullough for further information.

cre8ate maths goes down well at the Deep
6 - 7 March 2008

Nearly 200 pupils and their teachers from across the Yorkshire and Humberside region took part in the cre8ate maths celebration event at the Deep.

The event compere was Dr Sarah Fielding of Portsmouth University. Sarah shared her passion for palaeontology and mathematics through her dynamic dinosaur trackway workshops. One teacher commented that 'I got the impression from all the different activities on offer that every child got something out of this event.'

Further information about cre8ate maths can be found on the project website.

CSE Reception at the ASE Annual Meeting
Friday 4 January 2008
University of Liverpool, Guildhall, International Lounge

This year the Centre for Science Education is highlighting our work with AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust, AstraZeneca plc and the Brightside Trust. We are working on three projects with these organisations, each in its own way a test-bed for new ideas to support science education. We are grateful for their support and confidence in our ability to use our creativity to make something that works!

The projects are 'Evolve', 'Scientists in Schools' and 'Double Crossed'.

Evolve is a ground-breaking project fusing CPD and curriculum development. It is an online community learning to build 'gourmet schemes of work' for KS3 2008 from first principles of teaching for understanding and engagement. Using a collaborative process built around a wiki, we hope to create an evolving collection of units which are both inspiring and practical - by involving teachers, scientists and pupils. Evolve is a collaboration with ASE. This project is funded by AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust. For more information please contact Tony Sherborne.

Scientists in Schools is a unique combination of training AstraZeneca scientists to spend some time in schools working with teachers and their pupils, together with the creation of an online science education community. The programme will contain face-to-face training with the scientists involved and CPD materials for science teachers. The end product will be a high quality, standard-setting generic training programme. This project is funded by AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust, AstraZeneca, Brightside Trust. For more information please contact Marilyn Brodie.

Double Crossed is an exciting primary-to-secondary school transition project which explores an alternative view of transition through the context of cross-curricular learning in Science and History. Particular focus is paid to the development of pupil's personal, interpersonal and leadership skills and the use of historical methodology and context to enthuse young people about science. This project is funded by AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust. For more information please contact Eleanor Brodie.

cre8ate maths launch, 18 December 2007
Continuing professional development opportunity for secondary mathematics teachers

cre8ate maths is an exciting new secondary mathematics project which takes as its starting point the key employment sectors of Yorkshire and Humberside. The intention is to provide teachers of mathematics with an opportunity for professional growth and development through involvement in creating resources which are mathematical, motivational and memorable.

cre8ate maths will also link closely to and evolve with KS3 curriculum changes and the functional maths agenda. The project is being run by the Centre for Science Education in association with the Mathematics Education Centre at Sheffield Hallam University.

The cre8ate maths project will be officially launched on Tuesday 18 December at Sheffield Hallam University in the City Campus Atrium. Further information about cre8ate maths can be found on the project website.

Children In Need Fundraising Day
November

Centre staff held a Fundraising Extravaganza in aid of Children in Need on Friday 16 November. Loosely based around the theme of Willy Wonka, the Centre reception was turned into a chocoholics dream, with sweets, homemade cakes and other goodies on sale - there was even a chocolate fountain! Staff were encouraged to don fancy dress inspired by the book and movies, or pick a character from any other children's literary or screen favourite.

As well as the Chocolate Factory in reception, students, staff and visitors were encouraged to take part in a variety of activities including games, puzzles and quizzes - the highlights being 'Guess The Staff Member From Their Baby Photo' and 'Veruca's Dance Mat Dance Off!' A raffle was held for goods and services generously donated by many local businesses and organisations, the grand prize being a hamper 'choc' full of Christmas goodies. At the final count Centre staff have raised £322.61 (and probably gained a few pounds elsewhere!).

Building for Success
October

During the October half-term week, 17 girls from three Doncaster schools tried their hand at being Quantity Surveyors at Sheffield Hallam University. The Construction Company, Frank Haslam Milan, based in Doncaster, won an Edge Award for its work with young people. Through this award they worked with the Women in SET team in CSE to encourage girls to keep their options open and consider non-traditional careers.

The week-long course involved site visits and lots of hands-on work to give the girls a broad view of the careers available in the construction sector. The girls ranged from age 14 - 17 and were from Balby Carr Community College, Ridgewood School and Hayfield School, all based in Doncaster.

The construction industry needs talented people and the girls on the Building for Success in Quantity Surveying course went through a competitive selection process to secure their place. They all showed fantastic commitment by giving up their free time during half term and completing assessed work books to show their understanding.

We hope that this course has helped all the girls involved to think about the different careers within the sector. In fact, one girl has now been selected to become a trainee Quantity Surveyor for Frank Haslam Milan.

Primary science conferences
8 November 2007

Thursday 8 November sees the first in a series of three regional primary science conferences organised jointly between the Science Learning Centre Yorkshire and the Humber, ASE and local authorities.

The conference will open with a keynote presentation by Rosemary Feasey, a leading light in primary science development and training, and will be followed by a series of workshops based on the themes of creativity, assessment and enrichment.

The programme will continue with conferences at

• the Freedom Centre, Hull on November 28 2007 - keynote speaker Anne Goldsworthy
• the Textile Centre, Huddersfield on February 6 2008 - keynote speaker Rosemary Feasey

For more information please visit the Science Learning Centres website.

National Science and Engineering Week
9-18 March 2007

Once again the two universities in Sheffield are offering a comprehensive public programme of events for National Science Week, which will complement the even larger Schools Programme, when members of university staff and other local bodies give lectures in schools. With additional input from local museums, industry and commerce, Sheffield continues the tradition of presenting what is considered to be one of the best Science Week programmes in the country.

View the programmes here