Other Teacher Scientist Partnerships

Coventry Teacher-Scientist Partnerships

PowerGen has joined with Clifton Scientific Trust in an innovative Coventry-based Pilot Project which leads the way for industry to develop a radically new approach to partnership with science education.

Two PowerGen Staff; Andy Boston from the Maths Section, and Andy Read from the Boiler Plant Section at the Power Technology Centre, Nottingham volunteered for work in the Pilot with teachers from two Coventry schools, one primary and one secondary.

The schools invited to take part were selected following consultation with Ian Rye, Science Adviser for Coventry Education Authority.

After consultation Andy Boston was linked to Elisa Basnett of Courthouse Green Primary School, and Andy Read was linked with Ivan Thomas, Head of Physics at Stoke Park School and Community Technology College, Coventry.

Photograph: See caption Partner Teachers Elisa Basnett and Ivan Thomas.

Photograph: See caption PowerGen scientist Andy Read in action at Courthouse Green Primary School.

In the two Pilot partnerships very different but equally effective strategies have emerged. At Courthouse Green Primary School, Elisa Basnett runs an after-school Science BAYS Club for 9-11 year olds, and this is the point at which Andy Boston has been offering his support, visiting the Science Club and helping with experiments and engineering activities which he has planned. These have included experiments in buoyancy and viscosity, and bridge building competitions.

Head of Physics at Stoke Park School and Community College has worked with PowerGen's Dr Andy Read accessing specialised industry based information to develop highly focused, highly relevant, state of the art, new physics curriculum materials on the topic of "generating electricity" while meet his curriculum needs while giving real life to the experience of his own pupils through "science for real". The aim is to share these and other outcomes between schools.

Norfolk Teacher Scientist Network

Clifton Scientific Trust is pleased to be associated with the Norfolk TSN, founded in 1994 by scientists at the John Innes Centre, Norwich. This is the only other such partnership scheme in the UK.

Return to index...

Home...