School partnership: Nottingham primary
Published: 5 January 2022
The Nottingham Primary partnership was created in 2015 and included seven schools. The partnership received Phizzi CPD and resource boxes for light, space, electricity, and forces; our Ogden regional rep (Pete Dowsett) offered valuable development to our science co-ordinators who have then been able to equip their teachers with resources and knowledge to promote more active hands-on science learning in their schools.
Over the past six years, our children have encountered many enrichment experiences building science capital as part of the partnership. This has included live show and tell science events with families and Ogden Physics Olympics with a local secondary school. The partnership has also built links with Nottingham University who have provided outreach opportunities and workshops.
The legacy of our Nottingham partnership is evident in the teaching of more well-resourced science lessons for our children that consider their disciplinary and substantive knowledge. The science co-ordinators are still constantly sharing useful ideas and resources for more successful scientific enquiry and the assessment of children’s scientific understanding. We have improved the wider opportunities for our children in their homes and in school that encourage more parental engagement. All the members involved in the partnership are keen to continue implementing and embedding high quality science education within their school curriculums.
Ellen Flynn
Nottingham Primary Partnership (2015-2020)
Acting Deputy Head, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Primary School
(October 2021)
Five years of funding
A local cluster partnership can apply for up to £2,500 per academic year for the first three years and up to £1,000 in the fourth year for partnership activities to enhance the teaching and learning of physics. A further grant of up to £250 is available as partnerships move into their legacy phase. In the first year, partnership co-ordinators are awarded a time buy-out giving them half a day a week to build relationships across the cluster and establish the partnership.
An established collaboration partnership (ie a MAT) can apply for up to £2,000 per academic year for the first three years and £1,000 in the fourth year for activities to enhance the teaching and learning of physics. The partnership lead is eligible for up to three years of time buy-out to support the partnership
Teachers at all partnership schools can access CPD from Early Years Foundation Stage through to Key Stage 3. Partnerships work across primary and secondary schools to build links for transition and progression and are part of a supportive wider network of Ogden partnerships, advisers and experts.
Partnerships normally comprise four or more schools and can be a mix of maintained schools, academies, free schools and independent schools, across the primary and secondary sector. We welcome applications from any schools in England but are especially keen to work with new partnerships in rural and coastal areas, as well as schools based in areas of social deprivation.