Trimpley Reservoir is in a idyllic location, nestling between the River Severn on one side and the historic Severn Valley Steam Railway on the other.
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
BHS approved facility offering lessons, trekking and trail rides. Plus recognised Pony Club.
Kid-sized railway for a pleasing jaunt up and down the line, open most weekends.
The Railway is open Most Weekends for rides up and down the line.
Catering and shop facilities are available in Kidderminster Railway Museum and Severn Valley Station.
The Kidderminster Railway Museum houses a vast range of railway artefacts, most of which date back to the days of steam travel. From pen nibs to clocks, from signs to signalling equipment, from photographs to timetables and rolling stock - there is a vast amount to see when you visit us.
Herefordshire is often described as England's most rural county, with a rich mosaic landscape of small fields, ancient hedgerows and wooded hills.
From the Black Mountains in the west to the Malvern Hills in the east and the majestic sweep of the Wye Valley, the county embodies the finer characteristics of a rapidly vanishing traditional landscape.
A narrow gauge steam railway based at Evesham Country Park running regular passenger trains every weekend and main school holidays throughout the year.
Trains are usually steam hauled and travel for over a mile through the old apple orchards and around the country park, stopping briefly at Evesham Vale Station.
Enjoy a great day out in a relaxed countryside setting where you’ll discover an extensive garden centre, farm shop, courtyard shops, restaurants and miniature railway - all within a five minute drive from Evesham town centre.
Adventure playground, sensory garden and fitness equipment are dotted about this picturesque freebie.
Among a host of new features and improvements carried out are the creation of a new main entrance, an adventure play area for 10 to 16 year olds, a sensory garden, new fitness equipment, pathways being built, enhanced signage and additional seating and bins installed.
360 hectares of parkland to enjoy, with plenty to do, from a gentle stroll to wakeboarding! Rare habitats to discover and plenty of wildlife to spot. Also great for cycling and the site of the Chasewater Railway. Free to visit.
Standard Gauge Heritage Railway set in Chasewater country park, 4 mile round trip with steam and diesel engines and vintage carriages. Accredited Museum, Model Railway, also a narrow gauge miner's-style line, tea room and Sunday Carvery, gift shops. We are a Volunteer run charity.
Birches Valley Forest Centre is an excellent starting point for an exhilarating day out on Cannock Chase. From the midlands best bike trails and woodland walks to adventure play and Go Ape we’ve got a great day out just waiting for you…
Located on the edge of Hednesford Hills, the Museum of Cannock Chase illustrates the rich industrial heritage of the area, and the social and domestic life of times past.
Trace the history of Cannock Chase in our Local History gallery. Visit our Coal Mining Gallery to discover how coal shaped our area.
A single-arch stone bridge spanning the River Severn, built in 1825-30 by the great engineer Thomas Telford.
Human activity is dramatically evident in the huge chunk blasted out of the hillside to provide road stone for the nearby A5. This had the unexpectedly wonderful effect of laying bare the earth’s history; revealing rocks from the earliest beginnings of life on this planet.
The Award Winning big park for little people
An enchanting place where nursery rhymes and fairytales come to life. Endless rides and a giant indoor play area!
Pan for diamonds in the new diamond mine, play crazy golf on the Jolly Roger or visit the Christmas Village, open all year round! Plus visit the dinosaur valley and a few more surprises!
Relics of former industrial activity, including furnaces and an old winding house, are now surrounded by woodland full of birds, while pit mounds of waste have been transformed into flower-rich grassland and heath. An abundance of bird’s-foot trefoil now feeds generations of caterpillars of Telford’s speciality butterflies, the dingy skipper and green hairstreak. Coach parking.
Lightmoor lies on the fringes of urban Telford, surrounded by the thriving communities of Lightmoor village and Doseley. Look around as you walk and you will see the history of this place. Heaps of coal, clay and ironstone waste from the 18th century mines were piled onto the medieval field patterns, and tracks, tramways and an early canal cut across the landscape.
A single-span, cast-iron road bridge over the Cound Brook.
Possibly designed and certainly approved by the great engineer Thomas Telford, who was instrumental in shaping industrial Shropshire and the West Midlands.
A classic and quite delightful working Steam Railway: at 1 in 39 one of the steepest railways in preservation.
Offers a large pets corner, waterfowl area, pigmy goats, baby calves incubator hatching, two bouncy castles, miniature tractors, outdoor play area, undercover sand pit and go-carts! Largely under cover.
A pretty reserve set within a secluded river valley, with flower rich grassland and ancient woodland. Plenty of nature for the kids to enjoy, from butterflies and bees, to bare ground and boggy bits!
Stroll along a magical stream and listen to the soothing sound of water as you look out for the many birds and wildflowers that can be found here.
Ford Green Hall is a 17th century timber-framed farmhouse complete with period garden. An award-winning museum, the Hall offers visitors a fascinating insight into the life of the 17th century. The rooms are furnished with an outstanding collection of textiles, ceramics and furniture.
Offers an array of exciting play equipment, including the fort climbing frame, swings, a merry-go-round, springy animals, slides and a rotating circular seat. Plus the lakes themselves and signposted walks around them for a bijou explorette!
Aerial Extreme is a high ropes adventure course involving a series of challenging obstacles set at varying heights above the ground. You'll find yourself tackling fun obstacles such as rope bridges, scramble nets, zip wires, swinging logs and balance beams, plus many more!
Etruria Industrial Museum is the last steam-powered potters’ mill in Britain. The mill is ‘in steam’ several times a year when the 1903 boiler is fired and historic machinery can be seen working. Situated in a pleasant location at the junction of the Trent & Mersey, and Caldon Canals the museum is also a perfect stop-off for walkers, cyclists and boaters.
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