Read all about it

Following its launch in September, the Ogden Wallasey Partnership is continuing to thrive, and this year they have started a science library. Partnership Co-ordinator, Sally Kisby explains more.

Books as hooks

Reading was highlighted as a focus area for our partnership schools, and we wanted to look at how we can use our Ogden partnership not only to raise the profile of science within our school communities but also to engage reticent readers. The issue of reluctant readers was particularly evident when looking at engaging boys in our secondary schools.

When we started planning our initial project, we wanted to create library boxes that had the WOW factor combined with a range of texts, across a wide range of genres based on physics and science. We chose books that feature diverse scientists, topic information, fiction and non-fiction.

We then wanted to reach a little deeper by adding in activity cards, key vocabulary and take-home investigations to extend the reach of the library boxes so that families could engage in different activities too. We have now included the Institute of Physics Marvin and Milo cards, as well as other investigations and activities that can be carried out at home. Children can now share what they have been learning, discovering and finding out – there is a scrap book in each of the boxes so that they can share their ideas and we have included oracy activities to encourage the children to talk about science too.

Sharing the science

There are 15 boxes being shared across five primary schools. Each school has three boxes which have been developed to engage KS1, LKS2 and UKS2. They have the boxes for half a term and share them internally. Each half-term the boxes are rotated and sent on to the next school. Science Ambassadors in the schools will look after the boxes and introduce them to the next class as they move around the school.

Over the academic year, as the boxes move from class to class and school to school, children will access a wide variety of reading materials and activities. The boxes will be brought back to a central hub at the end of each year for updating, and feedback from the children will be used to enhance this library provision as we advance through our partnership.

Our secondary schools will have a similar system, but their boxes will be held in their libraries/science labs.

Getting creative

The partnership wanted the children to be inspired by the boxes, so we launched a competition across the partnership to come up with a design. They were given an open remit, so the designs illustrated all aspects of science, with Earth and Space featuring heavily! Designs were chosen from each school and then these were painted onto the boxes by members of staff at St George’s school. The design winners each received a certificate an amazon voucher to buy themselves a science book!

This book box scheme is just one of the partnership activities bringing our school communities closer together. Our student science buskers helped to make our science fair a huge success and the partnership will be taking part in the Great Science Share later this year. We have also established STEM Clubs across our partnership which are run by our high school students – absolutely brilliant!

Ogden school partnerships 

The Ogden School Partnerships programme provides five years of funding, support and CPD for schools who want to work together to enhance the teaching and learning of physics. Applications for new partnerships open each year between September and February.

You can find out more by visiting the partnership pages on this website.

Back to latest news