The Moray STEM Strategy Group (Moray Skills Pathway, SDS, Moray College UHI, DYW Moray, RAF Lossiemouth & Moray Council) cordially invite you to join them at the STEM Showcase & Partners Fair on Thursday 7th June 4pm – 7pm at the Alexander Graham Bell Centre, Moray College UHI
See STEM Showcase Leaflet for details of the presentations including an opportunity to engage with the National STEM Education & Training Strategy and the 28 marketplace stands with a mix of STEM partners such as Aberdeen Science Centre, STEM Ambassadors, Eco Schools and showcases from our local schools, ELCs and Moray College UHI. In addition there will be a number of local STEM Businesses represented that are interested in making links with education.
Its been a busy year since I started as Primary Science Development Officer on the 31st January 2017, so I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on a few highlights from my year:
February was all about creating the Moray RAiSE network and developing the Moray RAiSE Plan (see attached). Getting funding for the Primary Science Mentor Training from a successful PSTT bid meant that I could support the SSERC trained mentors in the final CPD sessions and start planning Primary Science Mentor training for Moray.
March was all about meeting the Head Teachers in Moray, CPD for NQTs and working closely with Linkwood Primary on Science for P1 – my first experience team teaching Early Level! An awesome class and big shout out to class teacher Mandy for giving me this opportunity.
April – STEM Days and Science Audits. Elgin Museum has fantastic resources for supporting CfE and let me borrow a resource box for St Thomas PS STEM Day. Schools were starting to review their science courses and we used the draft STEM Self Evaluation Questions to help drive forward developments! Changing Lives through STEM Engagement CPD was thought provoking and its been great to see St Sylvester’s using their STEM Club to raise attainment with targeted pupils this year.
May saw the first Primary and Secondary Engineer Training Days held in Moray – the Celebration Event will be on Thursday 1st March 2018 (see Blog update) and some Outdoor Science Visits as well as some work with secondary colleagues at Keith Grammar and Forres Academy.
In June the Forres Active Schools Coordinators and I planned and carried out the Forres ASG Transition day based on Rocket Poetry – great fun in Culbin Forest and I was really impressed with the energy of the pupils after cycling out there! I took part in the SSERC Primary Cluster programme which really helped me plan the Primary Science Mentors CPD calendar and after seeing some excellent STEM work in Early Years Centres who had been part of the National STEM project I turned my attention to supporting our ELCC establishments with bespoke CPD.
July was quieter with the schools on holiday giving me time to complete the RAiSE report. As RAiSE is a national initiative co-funded by Scottish Government, the Wood foundation and our Local Authorities, monitoring the positive impact is vital if the project is to continue. ROC (Robert Owen Centre) is independently evaluating the project too – you may see me turn up with a wee survey or ask you to be part of a Focus group in 2018!
In August I had the privilege of presenting to the new NQTs in Moray on the topic of Assessment & Moderation. That introduction has led to a few NQTs looking for support with Science in Primary and I’m booked in for a CPD session with them in 2018!
September was STEMtastic with the second Primary Engineer Training and the fantastic RAF STEM event which I attended on the Thursday. Great feedback from schools that I passed to the RAF Outreach Officer!
In October Alves PS had the Space themes STEM Day and I helped the teachers develop a nice spacesuit experiment for the day! The Primary Science Mentors had been meeting since August and by this point the group had settled in to the task of developing not just their own skills and knowledge about science but leading others in the schools and ASGs!
Team photo with previous trained SSERC mentors after a packed twilight session – still smiling!
November – Gender Balance Training and STEM Champions! Gender balance training will be rolled out in Moray in 2018. This is an issue that cuts across the curriculum and affects all of our pupils. STEM Champions will be piloted in Moray in 2018 within one willing ASG. Working with the Northern Alliance, RAiSE Authorities and Aberdeen Science Centre we hope to develop P5-7 pupils leadership skills within the context of STEM.
December – After another training session at SSERC and the SSERC Conference and with the year drawing to a close it was time for some festive Science with rocket Santa’s…
I just want to thank all the fantastic teachers I have been working with over 2017 and wish you all a restful Christmas.
See you in 2018 – the Year of Young People. Get ready for some STEM Action!
Hands on Practical Work is key to these CPD sessions
The first two sessions of Moray Primary Science Mentor training took place in August & September. This is the start of a year-long programme for twenty Primary teachers from across Moray who want to build on their skills and knowledge of the Primary Science curriculum while developing key leadership skills.
L-R: Jodie, Kristen and Lynne are being part of a Circuit!
These teachers will then be able to support and mentor their peers in their schools and ASGs.
Team photo with previous trained SSERC mentors after a packed twilight session – still smiling!
To date 27 Primary Schools and 8 Secondary Schools plus Moray SEBN Pinefield Campus have taken part in the full day training event led by Primary Engineer. The Primary teacher training was Structures and Mechanisms with Basic Electrics (with a simple car for younger Early/First level and a Motorised Car for First/Second level pupils) and for Secondary teachers was Fluid Power Challenge (Hydraulic Crane).
At the training teachers were introduced to their linked engineer who will provide support and visit the school during the project.
In both instances the training empowered teachers to deliver a practical engineering project with their pupils. Teachers were provided with the required kit and access to a Virtual Learning Environment of support materials.
In Moray this project has been linked to the Engineering Sector of the Moray Skills Pathway and Activity Overview Guides produced and given to teachers along with a strategic document highlighting the links to the Career Education Standards. I envision teachers using these additional materials to embed this IDL STEM project into their curriculum as part of developing pupil skills for life, learning and work.
Cohort 1 and 2 schools are invited to the Celebration Event hosted by Moray College as part of their Science week. This will take place on Thursday 1st March from 9.30-12.30. In the afternoon Moray College have planned some additional STEM workshops for pupils. If you want to stay on for this additional session, please let me know so that they can get an idea of numbers for workshops.
While we would love everyone to be able to attend the Celebration event there is a limit on numbers. Currently each Primary School can send TWO teams – teams may be from the same level of project or one from each of the two Primary projects. Each Secondary School can send ONE team.
This means that you should realistically be looking to complete your project by the end of January and have a mini celebration/competition in your schools to select pupils to go forward to the regional heat in March.
What are the next steps for schools?
In discussion with SLT; Primary Engineer trained staff will need to decide if they want to take part in the celebration event on Thursday 1st March. To take part in this, schools would have to ensure that pupils have designed/ made their project AND completed the logbook. The Virtual Learning Environment has copies of all of these but I have included the key documents in this e-mail for you to look at.
If you do decide to move forward with the celebration event, then I would need to know by Friday 3rd November (this does not commit you but gives me an idea of maximum numbers). If you wish to stay for the afternoon session, again let me know by Friday 3rd November.
Even if you decide not to attend the celebration event, I would recommend completing this project because of its links to the Moray Skills Pathway Engineering sector. The visits from your linked Engineer provide excellent opportunities to learn about the skills of engineering and the types of engineering jobs in the local area and you can also use the project to help develop some of the engineering habits of mind – these are excellent transferable skills including creative problem solving, visualising, improving and adapting (RAEng Learning to be an Engineer Report).
