November ~ December 2011 - Independent Schools Magazine

Focus on science... Focus on science... Focus on science... Focus on science...
Careers motivation
Top scientists, engineers and business
leaders have offered advice about
further education and careers to more
than 300 female students from across
the East of England.
The day, hosted by St Mary’s School,
Cambridge on behalf of the Girls’
Schools Association (GSA), was
opened by Dr Julian Huppert, MP
for Cambridge and the Research
Councils UK Academic Fellow in
Computational Biology. The day’s
varied programme was designed to
inspire students to consider a career as
a scientist, engineer or mathematician.
Charlotte Avery, Headmistress of St
Mary’s School, commented: “There
is a concern regarding the number of
girls – as well as boys – who choose to
read STEM subjects at university and,
even more importantly, the number
who then go on to have a career as a
scientist, engineer or mathematician.
In order to keep the country
competing viably we desperately
need good scientists, mathematicians
and engineers – and bearing in mind
our audience of today’s event – we
desperately need good female scientists,
mathematicians and engineers!
Detectives of the future
A team from the City of London
Freemens School, Surrey, have won
first prize in the Salters’ Challenge
held at the Salters’ festival at Brighton
University. The pupils, all in Year 8,
competed against 22 other schools
and had to solve a forensic science
riddle involving a murder using
chemistry. They were given a salt
found on the murdered victim and
had to compare it with white powders
16 Independent Schools Magazine
“We are facing a great challenge in
Britain to generate future scientists.
There are signs of rekindling interest;
this year the number of A-level maths
and science students has soared. I
hope that in some small way that
today’s event might inspire some of
our attendees to take their maths and
science studies yet more seriously
and help continue the impetus we
need to set Britain back on track to
the top bench of mathematical and
scientific excellence.”
Attendees were privy to handson
workshops on STEM careers,
nanotechnology and advice on
university applications. Inspirational
speakers from the top of their
respective fields spoke about their
own education and careers. The
speakers included Professor Valerie
Gibson, Professor in High Energy
Physics at Cambridge University and
Professor Elizabeth Morris OBE,
Fellow of the Scott Polar Research
Institute & Visiting Professor at the
Environmental Systems Science Centre
at the University of Reading.
The event was attended by 18 schools
from across the Eastern region.
found on several victims using flame
and precipitate tests. In order to win
they had to work together well as a
team, sharing out tasks and write a
report at the end of it. Their teacher,
Karen Standish, was very impressed
with the way the four students
worked cooperatively using not
only the analysis results but also less
obvious deductions to come up with
the right answer.
Association with the Royal Society
Loretto School in Edinburgh has
been successful in its application to
become an Associate School of the
Royal Society.
The Royal Society is a Fellowship of
the world’s most eminent scientists
and is the oldest scientific academy
in continuous existence, whose
goal is to invigorate science and
mathematics education. The Royal
Society’s Associate Schools and
Colleges make up a UK network
of enthusiastic teachers who
share their experience and help
promote excellence in science and
mathematics teaching.
Loretto School’s application was
submitted by Dr Michael Topping,
Director of Academic Progress and
Head of Biology. He said, “We
Launch of new-look laboratories
Schools minister Nick Gibb MP has
visited Wisbech Grammar School to
open three state-of-the-art science
laboratories following a complete
refurbishment.
The minister was joined at the ribbon
cutting ceremony by North East
Cambridgeshire MP Stephen Barclay
before going on to tour the senior
school with head boy Joshua York
and head girl Alice Wong and then
attending a remembrance assembly
with pupils at the preparatory school,
Magdalene House.
The high-spec laboratories, which
have been designed to the school’s
specification, include a visualiser,
a mobile fume cupboard and data
projectors in every room.
Headmaster Mr Nicholas Hammond
said: “Last year ten per cent of the
sixth form went on to study medicine
and we have a commitment as a school
are delighted that Loretto School
has the opportunity to make a
national contribution in the areas
of Mathematics and Science. Being
an Associate School will allow the
Loretto staff to use their enthusiasm
and expertise to support the work
and research of the Royal Society”.
Loretto will be an Associate School
for at least two years, and will engage
with the Royal Society in areas
including national education policy
and the promotion of excellence in
teaching mathematics and science.
Loretto’s Headmaster, Mr Peter
Hogan added, “Loretto has
a traditional of excellence in
Mathematics and Science and this
association with the Royal Society
will enhance our pupils’ learning.”
to studying subjects which are vital to
the national interest, including science
and modern foreign languages.
“This is a complete refurbishment of
three laboratories, which demonstrates
our investment in study in science and
gives us facilities which rival those of
higher education establishments and
the health service.
“We are concentrating on the
classroom, on good quality teaching
space. This is proof positive that we
put our money where our mouth is in
terms of academic pursuits.”
Pictured: sixth form student Callum Gurbutt explaining volumetric analysis of an
ammonium compound to Nick Gibb during a chemistry lesson.
Chemistry
Conference
The Cheltenham Ladies’ College, in
association with Bristol ChemLabS,
University of Bristol, hosted the first
ever Royal Society of Chemistry
event in Gloucestershire with
students from schools across the
whole county attending. The event
was held to engage students from the
age of 8 to 18 in Science, support
their curriculum learning and raise
their awareness of Chemistry as
a future subject choice and as a
potential career.
The morning featured three lectures
for 330 AS Level students. The
University of Bristol’s Tim Harrison
started the day with a bang as he
gave a demonstration of chemical
explosions. Andy Chapman, also
from the University of Bristol,
followed with a talk on the Science of
Chocolate and the morning concluded
with renowned Science writer Dr John
Emsley’s ‘Molecules of Murder’, a talk
on poisoning and forensics.
The afternoon featured ‘A Chemical
Delight’, a workshop given by Tim
Harrison for 350 children from
five local primary schools. Tim
said, “Bristol ChemLabS and the
Cheltenham Ladies’ College are
greatly looking forward to working
together again next year and hope
Pictured: (L-R) Kellyann Burlage (The Cheltenham Ladies’ College), Manifah Debono
(The Cheltenham Ladies’ College), James Rowland (The Crypt School), Aaron Jones (The Crypt
School), Tim Harrison (Speaker from Bristol ChemLabS, University of Bristol), Dr John Emsley
(Speaker), Kieron Hall (Ribston Hall High School), Jess Weston (Ribston Hall High School),
Elli Gilje (The Cheltenham Ladies’ College), Annabel Clark (The Cheltenham Ladies’ College).
Quiz winners
Four pupils from Thomas’s Preparatory
School, London, have won the 2011
Year 5 Science Inter-School Quiz
Championship 2011.
The Championship involved pupils
from 800 schools from across the
country competing in a high-tech
and challenging science quiz. School
teams comprised 4 players from Year
5 (aged 9/10).
The Championship started at school
level, with schools running quizzes
in the classroom to select their team.
More than 20,000 children took
part in these qualifier quizzes from
the participating schools. Once
their team was in place, schools
participated in a local Area Heat,
competing against up to 11 other
primary school teams for a place at
the Semi Finals. The winning team
from each Area Heat was invited to
take part in one of 12 Semi Finals
across the country, competing against
11 other teams for a place at the
National Finals which were held at
the world leading Culham Centre for
Fusion Energy in Abingdon.
to make this an annual event.
We look forward to involving
even more students next year and
would like to thank the RSC for
sponsoring the event.”
Schools attending: Airthrie
School, Berkhampstead School,
The Cheltenham Ladies’ College,
The Cotswold School, The Crypt
School, Filton College, Fitzharrys
School, Gardners Lane Primary
School, John Cabot Academy,
Malvern College, Ribston Hall
High School, St Edward’s Junior
School, The Richard Pate School,
The Ridgeway School.
Independent Schools Magazine 17