ENCOURAGING youngsters to have an interest in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects from a young age is high on the agenda across Oxfordshire.

The push on science has come from all levels, from the Government with the introduction of the new National Curriculum next year through to celebrities such as Professor Brian Cox influencing people’s thinking on the subject.

Thought to be the only scheme of its kind in Oxfordshire, Oxford High School for Girls’ science teacher Maria Whittington has invited 20 year five and six pupils from a nearby primary school to take part in more ‘grown-up’ science lessons.

Now into its third year, Ms Whittington continues to teach older pupils from St Nicholas’ Primary School at the high school science lab every Thursday afternoon.

She said it gives the students a better introduction to science in secondary school, and also introduces them to a lot of the equipment, so that they are less intimidated when they start in year seven.

She said: “Primary schools do not have the equipment that we have here in our labs so I just thought, why not invite them?

 

Oxford Mail:

  • LISTEN CAREFULLY: Maria Whittington instructs pupils in a copper oxide experiment

“Every secondary school has a primary close by, if not down the road, and I think it makes absolute sense to get some of the older primary school pupils in to start learning about different types of science and get them thinking in a different way about the subject.”

Year six student Carys-Anne Earl, 11, said: “I like the fact we get to use lots of different equipment like Bunsen burners.

“It was interesting when we started going to the school and working in the labs.”

Both Trinity Talkington, 10, and 11-year-old Isra Osman, said getting the chance to dissect a chicken’s leg was the most interesting experiment they had done so far.

Isra, who wants to be a doctor when she is older, said: “I like it when the teacher talks to us and is explaining everything for the first time because you know it is going to be amazing.

“When we dissected the leg you could see all the tendons and blood vessels, which was really interesting.”

 

Oxford Mail:

  • HELPING HAND: Lottie Tucker of Oxford High School for Girls, left, helps St Nicholas Primary School pupils Isra Osman, centre, and Carys-Anne Earl carry out an experiment

Olivia Shelton, 12, said: “The main reason I like science so much is that we do so many practicals, and it is interesting to learn in chemistry about how we eat minerals because you wouldn’t normally think of food like that.”

Ms Whittington added: “This is an exciting chance for our students.

“We do a lot of experiments to get a lot of practical experience and the girls just love it.”

An Ofsted report last week highlighted the importance of science teaching in schools.

It said: “For pupils to achieve well in science, they must not only acquire the necessary knowledge, but also understand its value, enjoy the experience of working scientifically, and sustain interest in learning it.”

Science Oxford, the face of educational charity The Oxford Trust, is taking engineering lessons into primary schools in Oxfordshire, with backing from engineering company Babcock.

It asked 18 schools to enter students in a competition to build cranes from construction toy K’Nex.

Oxford Mail:

  • BUILDING CHALLENGE: Camilla Bell speaks to Arthur Pattullo, nine, as he builds his crane at SS Mary and John School

Science Oxford project officer Camilla Bell said if children are not interested in such skills from a young age, they can be bored by it in their teenage years.

Last Friday Miss Bell and Babcock business development manager, Gavin Jackson, visited SS Mary and John Primary School and worked with the children.

Miss Bell said: “There is definitely a lack of uptake in engineering now and it is such an important subject.

“Normally when we first come in and mention engineering the children aren’t very interested and we know a lot of them think an engineer is a car mechanic but as soon as you start mentioning that engineers build things like submarines they all perk up.

“Especially at SS Mary and John on Friday I noticed they all suddenly started talking about their parents who were in engineering jobs.”

Ms Whittington added: “The children are fantastic and they treat the facilities with respect.

“It takes initiative to do this and I would like more secondary schools doing what we do.”