Felsted School has been selected as a ‘Special Merit Award Winner' by the Rolls-Royce Science initiative in recognition of the quality of ideas and action plans to develop local partnerships through Science.
This award will enable Felsted to run some unique residential workshops to engage underprivileged pupils in Science, working with them to gain CREST Awards (Creativity in Engineering Science and Technology), a British Science Association Initiative.
The initial idea followed research involving 2.4 million pupils, which looked at the positive impact of CREST awards on GCSE results and A-Level uptake in Science among pupils from low income families. This paper was presented at the House of Lords in January, where a key recommendation was to conduct more long term research analysing the effect of CREST on pupils from deprived areas.
Felsted has committed to running these workshops for a selected group of Year 7 pupils from their partner school, The Royal Docks School in East London. They will attend a 3 day residential course at Felsted, returning every year until they take their GCSEs. During this time the pupils will undertake a series of CREST based award projects with guidance from staff at Felsted School, Royal Docks School, Essex University and pupil mentors. Scientists from Cambridge University are also willing to be involved in this project.
To further engage the local community, a Science Fair will held on the final day of each course for local schools to celebrate the pupils’ work and for them to engage in CREST inspired science activities. All pupils who successfully complete their BA CREST projects will be able to present them at the regional ‘Big Bang Science & Engineering competition. Felsted’s own pupils have had much success at this, going on to win prizes at The National Big Bang Fair.
Felsted Headmaster, Chris Townsend, comments;“This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to develop a real passion for science, and follow in the footsteps of famous Felstedian scientists, such as Professor Tony Hunter and Professor Anthony Gallione, both of whom have been elected as Members of the Royal Society. The fact that we can also raise aspirations in our partner school in Newham, makes this project particularly worthwhile and exciting for all those involved.”
Felsted School’s Science Teacher and Director of Learning, Mrs Christina Bury comments;“I am fortunate to be in a position to work with these children. I have supported pupils in completing the BA CREST Awards for the past ten years, during which time Felsted pupils have won many regional and national awards for their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) work. We are in a position to share our facilities here at Felsted and truly believe in the transformative effect this could have on pupil learning”.
Christina is a Specialist Leader in Education for Science, and leads network of primary school teachers in the Chelmsford area, aiming to inspire and raise standards. Christina is committed to Science outreach programmes for pupils across the county, as well as delivering the Science curriculum at Felsted's 'International Residential Summer School'. With the Department for Education and the British Science Association keen to hear the findings from the proposed Rolls Royce project, she is confident the results will have wide reaching impact.