STEM Centres of excellence


The National STEM Centre and its regional hubs offer a wealth


of CPD support for science teachers and co-ordinators, with many resources available for free. Yvonne Baker explains more


A


s we all know, excellent teaching lies at the heart of excellent schools. The quality of teaching, above all else, has the highest impact on pupils’ attainment, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds – something amply


demonstrated by an increasing body of research. Teachers not only motivate and inspire, they also lay


the groundwork for pupils to lead successful lives in an increasingly complex and technological world. It is therefore essential that we invest time and


resources in helping teachers to perform at the highest possible level, including on-going opportunities to update their own subject knowledge and teaching skills. We also need to retain and continue to motivate


great teachers throughout their careers. Evidence shows that access to high quality CPD and working with a senior leadership team who understand and support this, can be a key factor in motivating teachers to stay within the profession and develop their careers. So what is good CPD? Evidence clearly shows that CPD is most effective when it matches the needs of the


Professional boundaries Independent thinking


THE LEVESON Inquiry has been dominating the news for some weeks now; it has raised significant issues about communication – who should be communicating with whom, how frequently, what is an appropriate tone, and where are the professional boundaries? All of this resonates strongly with school


leaders and staff. Communications within the school, between staff and pupil, pupil and pupil, staff and staff, staff and parents, and between parents are all increasingly fraught with traps for the unwary. One might add to that communication between examination boards or examiners and teachers and the reporting about schools and education in the wider media. We have learnt from Leveson that


some government ministers, civil servants, special advisors, media moguls and PR professionals communicate via text message and email many times a day. This reminds me of teenage girls, whose parents finally manage to look at their mobile phone records and discover that they are exchanging hundreds of texts with friends, often very late at night. Inevitably, as the pace of exchange


increases, so caution is thrown to the wind and less measured and appropriate remarks may be exchanged and sensitivities forgotten. The same can happen on other digital media such as Facebook or the noxious Formspring. It is somehow strange to see these same follies, which so many teachers waste disproportionate amounts of time dealing with, being replicated by “grown-ups”, and not just any grown-ups, but people in high positions of power and influence. We live in a world of instant communication


where tone and subtleties of meaning can be hard to discern. Schools are now bombarded with emails from parents, some dispatching heated diatribes to several different members of staff at once and demanding an instant response. Teachers are in school to teach for most of the school day and to deal with pupils face-to-face; they should not be diverted from lessons and dealing with pupils in order to


provide instant responses to emails. Senior pastoral and academic staff have non-contact time which can be used for responding to parents, but only after matters have been investigated, due consideration given and a proper reply prepared. It is important to manage parents’ expectations in this respect. Pupils communicating directly with staff via


emails, text or social media is another minefield. Child protection guidelines indicate that such exchanges may be considered to be inappropriate or indeed “grooming”. Sadly, as we all know, it is quite simple to forward any electronic message on to another person, after altering it, and staff are very vulnerable in this respect. It is also all too easy to impersonate someone else online. In addition, there are websites established specifically to criticise or make fun of staff as well as the nasty comments posted in various


chatrooms. Recently, I heard of a parent


from a school, not local to us, who had decided to set up a Facebook page for other parents at her child’s school. Within a day it was filled with comments, some rather unpleasant, and then arguments about all sorts of things, in less than decorous language. The school was not pleased, the parent


host was horrified, and it was taken down. The other issue, which has loomed large in both the Leveson Inquiry and in the earlier debacle over meetings with examiners, is that of over-familiarity and inappropriate closeness.


We should expect to have professional relationships with clear boundaries, but I am not convinced that the young today, and indeed some of their parents, have any idea about what an appropriate boundary might be. Will the pendulum ever swing back or should I


expect to be receiving text-speak messages from all my pupils soon, starting with “Hi Marion”?


• Marion Gibbs is head of James Allen’s Girls’ School in South London. She returns in two weeks.


teacher, pupils and school and encompasses a varied spectrum of support – ranging from workshops targeted at specific skills, knowledge, advice and guidance and bespoke in-school sessions through to peer-to-peer support, formation of school clusters, coaching and mentoring (and many things in between). Good CPD is based on evidence – evidence about


what makes effective teaching and learning, evidence about CPD itself and evidence about the subjects being taught. In fast-moving subjects such as science, it also gives teachers plenty of opportunity to engage with new developments and areas of knowledge, as well as helping them refresh, and where appropriate, challenge their existing understanding. It should also be practical – giving teachers


opportunities to practise what they have learnt, reflect on it and discuss with others, therefore embedding new knowledge and skills.


‘ SecEd • June 14 2012 If you are from a state-funded school or


college, you are eligible to apply for financial support from either the


ENTHUSE Charitable Trust or an Impact Award


Supporting teachers in science is a particular priority


and an area of fast-moving developments in the UK. Reports from Engineering UK and the CBI point to the importance of STEM skills and knowledge for young people, with STEM graduates expecting to earn £250,000 more than non-graduates and 43 per cent of employers currently having difficulty recruiting staff with STEM skills. Secondary schools play a central role in ensuring


young people have these highly valued skills to give them the best possible career opportunities. It is therefore vital that those teaching science have access to appropriate CPD which helps them develop their own knowledge and skills. This is where the network of Science Learning


Centres and the National STEM Centre can help. The Science Learning Centres are there to provide all teachers and schools with access to high quality, affordable professional development in science – be


’


STEM CPD: The National STEM Centre and regional Science Learning Centres run a range of courses and offer free resources


it specialist training for those teaching sciences post- 16, those working with key stage 3 and 4, or heads of departments. Science Learning Centres work with individual


schools and with clusters of schools, providing bespoke guidance and support, but with everything grounded in up-to-date science and education research. The National STEM Centre is also there to help.


With more than 4,000 resources available free of charge on the eLibrary and many more available in our physical resource centre at York, teachers can find exciting and inspiring support across all phases and subject areas. And the National STEM Centre works closely


with other sources of support, including the scientific societies, the British Science Association, STEMNET and others to ensure that teachers, schools and colleges can easily access the best support for them. While there is a cost for the Science Learning


Centre support, if you are from a state-funded school or college, you are eligible to apply for financial support from either the ENTHUSE Charitable Trust (if one of your teachers is participating in a course or activity run by the National Science Learning Centre) or an Impact Award (for selected activities run through the regional Science Learning Centres). In terms of the National STEM Centre, access to


support is free of charge – all you need to do is register on the website. The ENTHUSE Awards are supported by a unique partnership including the Wellcome Trust, the Department for Education and seven of the UK’s largest companies, all of whom want to help schools and teachers in a practical way to make science education great. The Gatsby Charitable Foundation supports the National STEM Centre for exactly the same reason. I meet many teachers who have benefited from


working with the Science Learning Centres and using the National STEM Centre and I am always struck by the way it enthuses them and they radiate new confidence and excitement about science.


SecEd


• Yvonne Baker is chief executive of Myscience, which manages the national network of Science Learning Centres, the National STEM Centre and other programmes supporting STEM education.


Further information


For more on the Network of Science Learning Centres, visit www.sciencelearningcentres.org.uk and for information on the National STEM Centre, go to www.nationalstemcentre.org.uk


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