Specialist School Status in Science and Mathematics
Review of the Second Year
Our second year as a Specialist College in Science and Mathematics has built upon the successes of the previous year and featured some excellent events and achievements. Our ICT resources are now fully utilised, the laptop computers for students are proving popular and have widened the scope for data logging and access to online resources. Additional funding has recently been spent on the refurbishment of the chemistry laboratories; both now have interactive whiteboards and projectors.
The two post-doctoral researchers from Imperial College, here on student teacher placements as part of the INSPIRE scheme, had a most successful year. As a result we are delighted that Dr. Whiting has joined the Biology department as a full time teacher from September 2006.
‘School Science Week’ was a highlight in March, ably supported by the newly formed Science College Committee. These enthusiastic pupils hosted an assembly and helped junior science classes with their events. The guest of honour to launch the week was ‘Sir Isaac Newton’. Our chosen theme of Colour involved junior pupils trying out many new experiments. The week culminated in pupils from Holy Trinity Primary School getting involved in a range of practical activities in the school Hall, ending a memorable week.
In the summer term all Year 9 Science pupils completed a Bronze CREST Award. We took the topical theme ‘The Science of Football’ to coincide with the World Cup. In Biology, students considered the physiological factors that affect performance; in Chemistry they investigated food preservatives and additives; in Physics pupils studied techniques to control the motion of a football. All pupils were awarded certificates, with several achieving a Distinction. Year 7 maths pupils took part in a ‘Healthy eating’ project which involved collecting and analysing data.
Many pupils participated in national and local competitions. This included the Biology, Chemistry and Physics Olympiads. Special congratulations go to Olga Tkachenko who successfully won the National Biology Olympiad and went on to gain a Silver Award in the International Biology Olympiad in Argentina. She was ranked 25th of all the international competitors. Simon Xu gained a Bronze medal for Biology in the British Olympiad. Once again two teams from the lower sixth participated in the B.O.C. Challenge in Chemistry; they had to invent two new uses for helium gas. They gave impressive presentations in the final at B.O.C. Headquarters in Guildford in July and were commended for their excellent standard and superb presentations.
In maths increasing numbers of pupils have gained success in the Intermediate and Junior Maths Challenges. All Sixth Form pupils studying Mathematics were entered for the Senior Challenge. The number of pupils achieving an award in the Junior Olympiad has increased to 164 in 2006, with eleven pupils proceeding to the next round of the Intermediate Challenge.
In order to link Science with the wider curriculum, Year 10 pupils participated in a debate ‘Is nuclear power the best alternative to fossil fuels?’ Jaimie Henry held the Chair and joined a distinguished panel of judges, including academics working in Science Policy and Environmental Affairs and also a science journalist. The rest of the year group enjoyed watching a vibrant and thought-provoking exchange of views. For the second year running a lively Inter-House Science and Mathematics Quiz took place in the summer term, Carew House providing the gallant winning team.
Three highly successful Science trips for Key Stage Three pupils were again funded by Science College. Year 7 had a superb day at London Zoo, while Year 8 visited the Royal Observatory and the National Maritime Museum. Year 9 visited the London Science Museum and IMAX Cinema. A sixth form Maths trip to Royal Holloway College also took place.
The second Annual Science Conference in July proved as big a success as in the previous year. Our lower sixth form were joined by those from seven local schools. This highly successful day featured a vibrant range of talks, workshops and a debate, hosted by scientists working in research, universities, industry and the Metropolitan Police. The subjects included malaria, biosensors, astronomy, and forensic science. Throughout the year we also hosted a series of stimulating science talks from outside academics: ‘Fantastic Plastic’, a brilliant lecture given to Year 10 by Dr. Averill Macdonald of the University of Reading; ‘Growing brain cells on computer chips’ by Dr. Jon Robbins of the University of London; and a discussion forum on ‘Climate change’ lead by Dr. Michael Perring of Imperial College.
Most members of the Science Department attended the Association of Science Education (A.S.E) Conference at the University of Reading in January. The school is currently the A.S.E. Hub School for the London Borough of Sutton.
‘Gifted and Talented’ pupils have been offered a variety of activities across the age range. A group of sixth formers visited Imperial College to see an electron microscope. Mathematics enrichment classes for pupils from local primary schools proved to be productive and well attended. For the second year running, a group of junior pupils participated in the ‘Sutton Science and Technology Challenge Day’ at Merton College in July. Four members of Year 9 were in winning teams, each one receiving a plaque. Three groups of physicists from all years of the school competed in a challenge at St. Bede’s School, Redhill. The pupils were set the task of building the tallest tower possible from paper. Congratulations go to the Key Stage 4 team (Year 10 to 11) whose tower came second in their category. In Biology several Year 9 and Year 12 pupils attended a trip to an Environmental Research Facility and took part in an ongoing experiment funded by the Royal Society. Two Year 12 students were put forward for Nuffield bursaries to fund some research during the summer break.
Junior Science Club flourished in its second year and was again popular with Year 7 and 8 pupils. The scope of the activities has broadened and a good level of pupil interest was maintained throughout the year.
For our community outreach, a First Aid training scheme ran throughout the year. A group of lower sixth students studied Parts 1 and 2 of the St. John’s Ambulance ‘Young Lifesavers’. They delivered Part 1 training to all Year 7 pupils, of which ninety of them passed. The sixth form are now preparing to deliver this to Year 6 at one of our partner primary schools. A Science Club for Year 5 pupils from each primary school was laid on, along with a very successful dissection class for Carew Manor pupils. In maths a series of classes for Y6 gifted and talented pupils ran after school and were well attended. Three Maths workshop evenings were held in September 2005 for over 100 parents of new Year 7 pupils. There was much positive feedback and many requested more similar sessions.
WCGS has joined a scheme to link the school with a college in France. Although primarily a linguistic and cultural initiative, the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (S.S.A.T) have invited other subjects including science to become involved through their Specialist Colleges. Our link organisation is the Lyceé Hilaire de Chardonnet, Chalon-Sur-Saone. This college takes the equivalent of our Y11 and sixth form students. The theme of the link project is to design a ‘Green Home’. This initiative is in its early stages and it is envisaged that pupils will in due course communicate online.
Our second year Science College programme has offered some fulfilling activities and raised the profile of science throughout the school. Increasing numbers of pupils are involved and we aim to achieve even more in our third year with exciting new initiatives to enhance the Science education we offer to our pupils.
Andrew Homer
Director of Science
