Baggeridge Country Park is a beautiful area of countryside on the doorstep of the Black Country. Being set back from the roads, its secluded delights are revealed to you as you explore further. The creation of today's scenery however, is very diverse.
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
In the Roald Dahl children's gallery you can boggle your eyes and baffle your brain and let your imagination run wild!
Join in with on this totally kid friendly working family farm.
Oak Farm Animal Park is a traditional organic working farm, home to a variety of animals, many of which are rescued for a second chance in life.
Pool open all year round but varies in temperature depending on winter or summer season. Swimming lessons available.
Newly resurfaced courts with the option of floodlights. The multi court is marked out for tennis, netball, football and basketball
Welcome to our beautiful nature reserve created on the site of an old chalk quarry. Watch out for the wildlife that makes its home in the varied habitats of wetland, chalk grassland and woodland. Discover that whatever the season, College Lake is the ideal place to visit for a day of learning outside the classroom.
A branch of the main Natural History Museum in London.
Discover the fascinating animals collected by Lionel Walter Rothschild, in our beautiful Victorian Museum. It is home to the world-class research and collections of the Natural History Museum's Bird Group.
Education
The Lough Neagh Discovery Centre is situated in the Oxford Island Nature Reserve on the southern shores of Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in the UK. With over 200,000 visitors every year, the Discovery Centre is an ideal place to promote the principles of sustainability.
Roofed conduit for Oxford's first water mains, constructed during the early 17th century. North Hinksey Conduit House is located on a hillside with views over the busy Oxford ring road to the spires of the city below.
South Park occupies 50 acres of open space, with magnificent views overlooking Oxford.
What can I do there?
A classic series of collections housed in stunning architecture. Among its most famous features are the Oxfordshire dinosaurs, the dodo, and the swifts in the tower.
Award winning, historically informative and hugely entertaining, it's the perfect way to soak up the atmosphere of this famous city, leaving you with a deliciously scary tingle running down your spine.
An ancient site of incarceration (since 1071) offering a highly atmospheric history lesson spanning ten centuries, with hands on displays and real life prisoner stories. Quirky costumed tour guides are available every 20 minutes.
The old buildings have been preserved and are now open to the public revealing a time capsule: allowing the buildings to tell their captivating story.
Jungle Parc is located in the lovely Irchester Country Park! It is only 20 minutes from Northampton and 30 minutes from Milton Keynes.
An educational trip into the sad necessity to rescue animals, with plenty of happy, loved and rehabilitated furry guests to visit with.
HULA Animal Rescue has saved over 31,000 animals since it was founded, and offers an educational trip into the sad necessity to rescue animals, with plenty of happy, loved and rehabilitated furry guests to visit with.
Try the working period telephones and switchboards. Visit the Victorian Parlour and Schoolroom. Listen to an air raid in the Museum's Anderson Shelter. Make toast in the period kitchen. Visit the street of period shops. Visit the Hall of Transport.
A magical day out in the Forest of Dean
At Puzzlewood you can explore a mile of pathways winding through deep gulley’s of moss covered rocks, over wooden bridges and through fantastic tree and rock formations; all set in 14 acres of ancient woodland.
Indoor real snow skislope in Milton Keynes. Lessons available plus the Wacky Races kiddie sledging tournaments, plus Snocamps for 7 to 15 years old. A great family days out in Buckinghamshire idea.
Step back in time and discover Glasgow’s unique history with a visit to the oldest house in the city, built in 1471. It was originally part of a hospital and is one of only four medieval buildings to survive in Glasgow.
Book a tour to visit the extraordinary store for Glasgow Museums' vast collection. Come and see our Archaeology, Art & Painting, Arms & Armour, Natural History, Transport & Technology and World Cultures collections at Glasgow Museums Resource Centre (GMRC) - even when they're not on display at our venues.
Mingulay, Berneray and Pabbay are three islands of unrivalled wildness and beauty.
The Falkirk Wheel is one of Scotland's top tourist destinations and attracts visitors from all across the World.
Lothian Health Services Archive holds the historically important local records of NHS hospitals and other health-related material.
We collect, preserve and catalogue these records and promote them to increase understanding of the history of health and for the benefit of all.
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