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: 
Parks and Gardens
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Large park with adventure playground, offering geocaching, rich woodland walk audio trail and visitor centre.

Covering 137 acres of woodland and open hilltop has magnificent views across the Anker Valley, activities include the adventure playground, geocaching, and the rich woodland walk audio trail, plus visitor centre. The site received the Forestry Authority's 'centre of excellence' award.

Rolling countryside with small fields and woodlands divided by hedges and sunken lanes
Venue Type: 
Wildlife and Nature
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Escape to a rural retreat just a few miles south-west of Bristol, where'll you discover fantastic views from the ridge across the Severn estuary to Wales and north back to Bristol. Enjoy peaceful woodlands and babbling brooks.

Stunning coastline and England's only natural World Heritage Site
Venue Type: 
Wildlife and Nature
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The great rocky shoulder of Golden Cap offers magnificent views at every compass point. On a clear day you can see across Lyme Bay to Dartmoor - well worth the effort of the walk uphill.

Stonebarrow Hill is a great starting point for 25 miles of footpaths around the Golden Cap estate. An old radar station houses a National Trust information point, shop, toilets and a basecamp.

Dramatic and stunning chalk escarpment with panoramic views
Venue Type: 
Wildlife and Nature
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With views towards Leith Hill, the highest point in south east England, Denbies Hillside is a great spot for wildlife-watching.

Named after John Denby, a 17th-century farmer, the hillside is home to a great variety of plants and animals, including adonis blue and chalkhill blue butterflies.

The chalk downland at White Down offers yet more spectacular views. It also hides several Second World War pill boxes, built to defend against a Nazi invasion.

A legendary beauty spot on the South Downs
Venue Type: 
Wildlife and Nature
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Devil’s Dyke, just five miles north of Brighton, offers stunning panoramas, a record breaking valley, a curious history and England’s most colourful habitat.

At nearly a mile long, the Dyke valley is the longest, deepest and widest 'dry valley' in the UK. Legend has it that the Devil dug this chasm to drown the parishioners of the Weald. On the other hand, scientists believe it was formed naturally just over 10,000 years ago in the last ice age.

Venue Type: 
Parks and Gardens
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At the Royal Victoria Park there are a wide range of activities that you can enjoy.

Wildlife and Habitats

Extensive coastal area famous for wild birds, sandy beach and Roman Fort
Venue Type: 
Wildlife and Nature
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Famous for its mussels, the fishing village of Brancaster Staithe lies on the shores of the beautiful north Norfolk coast. Follow the history of the fishing industry at Brancaster Quay, enjoy one of the many courses available at the flagship Brancaster Activity Centre.

18th-century Welsh gentry estate - with house, walled gardens and home farm
Venue Type: 
Parks and Gardens
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This rare example of a self-sufficient 18th-century Welsh minor gentry estate has survived virtually unaltered.

The villa, designed in the 1790s, is the most complete example of the early work of John Nash. It has its own service courtyard with dairy, laundry, brewery and salting house, and walled kitchen gardens (with all its produce for sale when in season).

Palladian mansion and world-famous landscape garden
Venue Type: 
Parks and Gardens
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When Stourhead first opened in the 1740s, a magazine described it as ‘a living work of art’. The world-famous landscape garden has at its centrepiece a magnificent lake reflecting classical temples, mystical grottoes, and rare and exotic trees, and offers a day of fresh air and discovery.

Uncover the fascinating history of Stourhead house with an Italian ‘Grand Tour’ adventure and enjoy the unique Regency library, Chippendale furniture and inspirational paintings. The Palladian mansion is set amid ‘picnic perfect’ lawns and extensive parkland.

Venue Type: 
Parks and Gardens
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With an enviable setting in the ancient precinct of the magnificent 12th-century Melrose Abbey, this delightfully rustic walled garden has three distinct areas to explore.

A dried flower workshop gives visitors an overview of the garden’s history and highlights, while also housing Scotland’s only dedicated dried flower garden, with a drying room where you can pick your own blooms to order.

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