Science

Science

The teaching and learning of science can take many forms due to the large number of branches of the discipline, but all of them involve a large element of  doing things, of experimenting, of making and breaking, of trying out new ideas, whether at primary or secondary level. This has been appreciated by museums and visitors centres, so that we now have a plethora of possibilities.

The Association for Science Education is the lead body helping schools to develop their teaching and learning. It offers support for primary and secondary science subject leaders, teachers and schools, and keeps schools abreast of curriculum and assessment changes and reforms. The Association aims to enrich science teaching and learning with free resources, which can be found at: www.schoolscience.co.uk

Some venues are obviously specifically suitable for science groups, but others, which are more cross-curricular, are less obvious. Below we give staff a pointer to these as well as making it easy to access the websites of the well known attractions.

CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, has long been popular with British school groups. It is celebrating 60 years this year and is encouraging teachers to look at its Cern Education website.

CAT, the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth, is also celebrating a major birthday this year – its 40th. It is a very different experience from CERN, but fascinating nonetheless.

We should draw your attention to the fact that farm visits are popular with primary schools and there is a growing number of farms offering excellent opportunities – from feeding animals to driving tanks. But there are some stringent health and safety rules to be observed. For advice and guidance please contact Handsam by calling 0844 335 1737 or emailing info@schooltripsadvisor.org.uk.

 

Main organisations:

British Science Association

Association for Science Education

CLEAPSS

Membership through Handsam

Radiation Protection Officer services through Handsam

Science Learning Centres

National STEM Centre

Inclusion: NASEN

 

Thought of visiting?

The Science Museum

Natural History Museum

National Space Museum

Centre for Alternative Technology

Cern Education website

ThinkTank, Birmingham

Michael Faraday Museum, London

National Conservation Centre, Liverpool

Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester

Techniquest (various locations in Wales including Cardiff, Wrexham and Pembrokeshire)

The Wellcome Collection, London

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Earth Centres

 

For a complete list of venues and providers who deliver specialist courses and activities for this subject see below

Venue Type: 
Farms
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Set in part of a 600 acre working farm, which provides a varied selection of animals to see including llamas, goats, peacocks and red deer. Kids will also enjoy the adventure playground and the go kart track!

Educational Visits

Experience the romance and mystery of Newstead Abbey, home of Lord Byron
Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
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A beautiful historic house set in a glorious landscape of gardens and parkland within the heart of Nottinghamshire.

Medieval Newstead

Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
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Stand on the world famous Greenwich Meridian Line at the Royal Observatory, high on the hill above Greenwich.

Explore this exclusive exhibition of eccentric inventions inspired by the 18th-century quest for longitude, specially created by steampunk luminaries including award-winning novelist Robert Rankin – exuberantly blurring the boundaries between art and science, fact and fiction. 

Peter Harrison Planetarium

The Pennyman family's intimate 18th-century mansion
Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
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Home of the Pennyman family for nearly 400 years, this classic Georgian mansion, with its Victorian kitchen and laundry, attractive gardens and estate walks, provides lively resources for local schools and community groups, and a unique venue for wedding ceremonies and corporate events.

Venue Type: 
Museums
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A lovely little museum that covers the local history of the small market town of Tring from its earliest days to the recent past.

You can also learn about the industrial revolution and how the rural way of life in Tring was affected by the changes through time.

Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
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Harewood House is a country house in Harewood near Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Designed by architects John Carr and Robert Adam, it was built between 1759 and 1771 for wealthy trader Edwin Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood.

Harewood sits at the heart of Yorkshire, one of the Treasure Houses of England. The house was built in the 18th century and has art collections to rival the finest in the land in the setting of Yorkshire’s most beautiful landscape.

Late 18th-century house, set in enchanting landscaped grounds
Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
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Family home of Lord Faringdon, who continues to care for the property as well as the family art collection, the Faringdon Collection, which is displayed in the house.

Consequently, despite the grandeur of their scale, both the house and grounds remain intimate and idiosyncratic and very much a family home. They also continue to change and develop as nothing is preserved in aspic here...

Outside enjoy a new water feature, Faux Fall, by David Harber. Inside, discover contemporary glassware by Colin Reid and Sally Fawkes.

A 1920s country retreat complete with luxuriant garden by the sea
Venue Type: 
Historic Buildings & Monuments
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Travel back in time to the Jazz Age at the holiday home of the D'Oyly Carte family.

You can lose yourself in the magical 12-hectare (30-acre) garden: viewpoints give enticing glimpses out to sea, paths weave through glades past tranquil ponds, and tender plants from the Mediterranean, South Africa and New Zealand thrive in the moist and sheltered valley.

Venue Type: 
Parks and Gardens
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The site comprises 130 acres containing the best collection of trees in Oxfordshire with some of the oldest redwoods in the UK

The free destination for the incurably curious
Venue Type: 
Museums
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The Wellcome Collection is a unique mix of galleries and events, the world-famous Wellcome Library, a cafe, bookshop and conference centre.

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