Cambridge University run 10 museums around Cambridge:
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.
The announcement in April 2015 that the new SKA radiotelescope is to be built in the UK will also be a huge boost for scientists looking for projects to follow and then visit as the telescope is built in readiness for full operational capability in 2025.
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 03332 070737 or emailing trips@handsam.co.uk.
Main organisations:
Association for Science Education
Membership through Handsam
Radiation Protection Officer services through Handsam
Inclusion: NASEN
Thought of visiting?
Centre for Alternative Technology
Michael Faraday Museum, London
National Conservation Centre, Liverpool
Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester
Techniquest (various locations in Wales including Cardiff, Wrexham and Pembrokeshire)
Venues for this Curriculum
Northamptonshire's premier aviation museum....Museum of the Year & Best Exhibition in the Renaissance Heritage Awards 2007, Highly Commended in the Northants Heritage Awards 2011 & 2012 for Best Special Project....
This peaceful ten acre garden occupies a hillside position extending down from the 17th century manor house, constructed of mellow Northamptonshire stone.
Landscaped on different levels, it comprises a series of distinctive smaller gardens, providing variety and interest throughout the season, and enhanced by flowing streams, fountains and ponds.
This former Northampton to Market Harborough Railway is now a car free ‘linear’ park surrounded by beautiful scenery and rich in natural and historical heritage. It provides a 14 mile long walking, cycling and in parts horse riding route. The stone surfaced path follows the old railway track bed and is suitable for both hybrid style and mountain bikes.
The Northampton and Lamport Railway is a steam and heritage diesel operated tourist railway located in the Northamptonshire countryside just 5 miles from Northampton, within easy reach of the motorway network.
The UK's Only Main Line Heritage Railway
The Great Central Railway is Britain's only double track main line steam railway. Train rides are available every weekend and Bank Holiday throughout the year and daily in May through to September.
Housed within the enormous Earlswood Lakes Craft Centre this is a child friendly pottery craft studio who will assist you in your artistic creations! Pottery painting, decopatch and baby prints.
Originating as a 13th-century wayside hospital, this flint and timber-framed building now displays Roman artefacts from nearby sites.
For a fascinating day out on the Kent coast look no further than Deal Castle.
Built by the order of King Henry VIII it is one of the finest Tudor artillery castles in England, and among the earliest and most elaborate of a chain of coastal forts, which also includes Calshot, Camber, Walmer and Pendennis Castles.
Grangewaters is a year-round outdoor education centre set in a semi-rural location within Thurrock. The site of over 70 acres includes areas of managed and natural woodland, 2 lakes and open grassland as well as activity areas, accommodation and administrative facilities.
The EARM is a living heritage site based at Chappel railway station. We are situated on the edge of breathtaking Constable Country and adjacent to one of the largest railway viaducts in Eastern England.
A great trip out packed with happy!
Clacton Pier is home to a whole range of attractions. It is a modern, relatively vibrant amusement park and theme park combined into one big attraction. Clacton Pier is almost unique in the sense that there are some rides as you first enter and then the rest are dotted throughout the length of the pier. So you can just dip in and out of the fairground part of the pier.
Our Ada Cole visitor centre in Essex has a veritable feast of activities on offer. From horse owners and Redwings guardians to animal lovers and members of our Adoption Club, we have something for everyone!
A pretty four-arched late medieval bridge, spanning the River Kennett on the old route from Cambridge to Bury St Edmunds.
The bridge is built of flint and stone rubble, with plain parapets, and the edges of the arches are made of brick. Pointed arch shapes like these were constructed using wooden formers to support and shape them, and were not used after the 15th century.
Lydia Eva is the last steam drifter and the last boat to have been constructed in the ship yard in Kings Lynn. Over 1000 of these fishing vessels worked out of Yarmouth in the 1920s.
On-board displays tell the story of the Lydia Eva and the East Coast herring fishing industry.
We make sure your pupils get right up-close to the amazing creatures in our themed displays. After all, the more they see the more they’ll learn.
Imposing five-storey drainage windpump
The striking windpump provides stunning views over the coast and broadland landscape.
Set within the Broads National Park, the Horsey estate is an internationally important site for wildlife and offers a great spot for birdwatching and wintering wildfowl. Horsey Estate is managed by the Buxton family, from whom it was acquired.
St Seraphim’s is an Orthodox Chapel created in 1967 by Father David and Leon Liddament of the Brotherhood of St Seraphim in what was previously the booking office and gentlemen’s waiting room of Walsingham Railway Station. An onion dome and cross were added to the original 1857 building, but otherwise it remains relatively unchanged from its original design.
Cliff-top showcase for military might
There has long been a military presence at Weybourne, reflecting the village’s key defensive position. The remaining Weybourne Camp buildings now house Britain's largest private working military museum.
Exhibits date from 1782 to the present day. Highlights include the many tanks, guns, missiles and armoured vehicles, some outside but many in large indoor galleries.
Grime’s Graves is the only Neolithic flint mine open to visitors in Britain. This grassy lunar landscape of 400 pits was first named Grim’s Graves by the Anglo-Saxons. It was not until one of them was excavated in 1870 that they were identified as flint mines dug over 5,000 years ago.
Glorious steam and gorgeous gardens
A countryside extravaganza of delightful gardens, Dad’s Army memorabilia, Victorian fairground rides, steam trains and traction engines and more.
We make sure your pupils get right up-close to the amazing creatures in our themed displays. After all, the more they see the more they’ll learn.
A Norfolk hero remembered
Coxswain Henry Blogg (1876-1954) was the RNLI's most decorated lifeboat man. During his 53 years of service Blogg was awarded three Gold and four Silver RNLI medals for gallantry, as well as the George Cross and British Empire Medal.
Norfolk’s railways treasured
This museum tells the story of East Anglia’s railways and in particular William Marriott’s Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway (or the ‘Muddle and Get Nowhere’ as it was affectionately known).
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