Inspiring partnerships
Teachers from the Ogden Partnership network gathered for the annual conference.
Published: 25 July 2022
The annual conference is one of the highlights of the partnership calendar, and this year it returned with an in-person gathering at The Belfry in Birmingham. More than 120 teachers and colleagues joined us over the two days to learn from expert practitioners and to share ideas, enthusiasm and expertise.
The theme for the conference was Space and ‘wow how now’ was at the heart of the sessions – looking at how students can be engaged with a ‘wow’, whilst understanding the ‘how’ of the science and the ‘now’ of real-life applications and careers.
“Absolutely buzzing about Wow! How? Now?”
Delegate feedback
A busy two-day programme gave delegates the opportunity to hear from inspirational keynote speakers and presenters, and to get hands-on with workshops and activities looking at using space as a context for learning.
Delegates enjoyed our marketplace, gathering resources and ideas for classroom physics provision across the key stages. The conference schedule featured a wealth of ideas including Space Camps, The Tactile Universe, pinhole cameras, the Bepi-Columbo Mercury Mission, IRIS, cosmic mining, physics in your kitchen and so much more!
“Some really interesting and thought-provoking sessions.”
Delegate
The Tactile Universe
The conference also provided a valuable opportunity for partnership programme managers at the Trust to share tips, tricks and requirements for partnership planning, management and reporting. The school partnership co-ordinators were also able to meet with their local regional rep to talk about ideas, issues and opportunities specific to their local areas.
“It was fantastic to gather in person again for this conference,” says Wendy Cox, Head of Education for the Trust. “The networking, the sharing and the conversations were fantastic to see and to take part in. Our partnership community is such a supportive and inspiring network, and it was great to be back together again for this event.”
“We worked hard to bring inspirational speakers to the conference and to give practical advice, support and ideas which can be used directly in the classroom,” continues Wendy. “But we also wanted the conference to be a celebration of the hard work of our partnerships and we hope they enjoyed the food, facilities and the entertainment – an evening with Science Magician, Dr Matt Pritchard never fails to spark wonder!
Dr Matt Pritchard
The most valuable part of the conference experience?
“The buzz and passion in the room for the common goal of ensuring inclusion and engagement for all in physics capital. Meeting other partnerships and absorbing all of the ideas.”
“Being inspired and motivated to continue to do great things in our partnership and having more of the knowledge and ideas of how to achieve this.”
“The Keynote speakers where so inspiring and in what has been a really difficult period in teaching, made me recognise why I had gone into teaching. Things have been tough, and I have on occasions considered leaving the profession … These speakers made me realise what a rewarding job physics teaching is and how we can make a difference.”
Do you want to join our partnership programme?
Applications for new partnerships starting in 2023 will open in September.
A local cluster partnership (a group of four or more schools within a local area) 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 (a group of four or more schools associated through a multi-academy trust (MAT), MAC, federation, educational trust, etc) 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 two years of time buy-out to support the partnership.
Partnerships receive support from Ogden regional representatives and teachers at all partnership schools can access Ogden CPD from Early Years Foundation Stage through to Key Stage 3.
