NTLT & The Ogden Trust Partnership

HomeNewsNTLT & The Ogden Trust Partnership

This term we were delighted to launch our partnership with the Ogden Trust at our first Phizzi conference, held at the Centre for Life in Newcastle. Phizzi CPD is available to all schools in our Ogden partnership. The training covers the four main areas of the primary physics curriculum on a four-year cycle. The KS3 Physics CPD covers forces, waves and electricity and is designed to upskill non-specialist teachers of physics and supports learning progression and transition.

Forty-two teachers from primary schools in our partnership took part in the day; 11 KS3 delegates also joined the conference to get hands-on with the Ogden KS3 CPD programme. This full conference day of practical science connected teachers to physics teaching and learning as well as each other. Time in the laboratories, time in the planetarium and time exploring the Centre for Life allowed the delegates to collaborate, to be inspired and to explore key concepts and approaches to engaging pupils in their physics lessons.

To start the day, we made our way to the planetarium and were treated to a keynote by Dr Vicky Fawcett and Dr David Rosario from Newcastle University who shared their journeys from school science into their careers in astrophysics.

Following this, the team from Ogden took the participants through hands-on training exploring ‘Wow Moments’ in Key Stage 3 and five topic teaching points and five classroom activities in Primary. From floating balloons to the solar system in your pocket, the teachers were inspired to take their learning back to the classroom:

“What a brilliant day! Thank you so much for the hands on, engaging, practical approach. I have so many good ideas to take back.”

“So full of different ideas that are pragmatic and easy to implement in the classroom. Delivered so well and enthusiastically. Thank you so much!!!!”

“ I have learnt so much! Very inspiring sessions from knowledgeable staff. The practical sessions to watch the Ogden training videos and test out enquiries were very helpful. I feel confident I can go back to school and share with the staff.”

Even our CEO, Kehri Ellis got stuck in: “We are very fortunate as a trust and a collaborative partnership of schools to be working with The Ogden Trust. I don’t very often get the opportunity to witness first-hand the impact and excitement generated by some of the opportunities the Trust brokers for schools, so it was wonderful to be able to join you all working alongside our teachers at the conference. Thinking about a trip to the moon will never be quite the same for me again – isn’t science learning awesome when it’s delivered well!”

The day ended with time to explore the exhibitions in the Centre for Life, with participants thinking about how they may make the most of this with pupils when they visit. Schools were entered into a competition to win a trip to the Centre for Life for 30 pupils, including a science workshop. Congratulations to Benton Dene School and Whitley Bay High School who won!

Each school who took part in the conference will receive their resource box (worth over £400) which includes a teacher handbook, an electronic resource pack and the resources and equipment needed for the practical science lessons explored, as well as so much more! The primary pack includes an inflatable solar system and the secondary box includes so many hooks to engage pupils in key concepts. We can’t wait to see these resources in action!

This conference is just the start of our partnership which will include many fantastic, fully funded opportunities to enrich pupils’ physics curriculum. These opportunities will include training (and resources) for Early Years staff, opportunities to train secondary Science Ambassadors and opportunities for the Ambassadors to lead science clubs in our primary schools. Alongside this, pupils involved in the Science Ambassador programme and the science clubs will be able to gain their CREST Awards, all paid for as well as schools receiving funding for the resources to run the science clubs!