Question for teachers in primary schools; would this be interesting to your school?

[ediblewoman]

I am about to be made redundant, and looking for something I can do that I will enjoy, and will fit in as well with my childcare as my current role.

I am very enthusiastic about introducing science to children and whilst I am not a qualified teacher I have a friend who is and is looking for a new challenge.

I was wondering whether a series of sessions offering introduction to basic science and experiments (pitched to current topics, e.g. making a lung/looking at capillary action when doing 'our bodies') would be something schools might be interested in?

I thought it could be used as a way of covering PPA (my area uses qualified teachers but the guidance does say that 'instructors with special qualifications and/or experience' can be used).

This is just a vague idea at the moment but I didn't want to spend lots of time and energy building a business plan etc if it was going to be no interest at all.

Thanks.

I offer a service that's comparable.

Will you and your friend be in partnership with her "leading" because of her qualified teacher status?

Do you, ooh, v excited at the idea it is possible. Yes she would lead and I'd support to start, I'd prob then try to qualify to at least level 3.

Euphemia, no science centres near here, do that does help. But yes we would be looking at the scope for more specialist stuff eventually.

DC brought home a leaflet for Mad Science Club, it is similar to what you suggest. First time it's been offered in our school though. Your best bet would be finding an area/schools that don't already have a connection with Mad Science.

Our school uses a lot of specialists in this way, but they tend to be one offs. e.g. we had an excellent "Dino Man" who brought in some great fossils and models and ran sessions over two days and recently we had a team of artists come to work with the children creating amazing wall displays over two days. We haven't had a science one as such, but I'm sure there would be interest if we saw one advertised.

That said, we probably have between one and three of these specialists in per year, so to keep busy, I know they do a lot of traveling - the artists were going to be in a school 250 miles from here the following week, so not sure how well it could really fit in with childcare.

I was going to say sounds a bit like a more in depth version of mad science which is a franchise I think.

DD went to a mad science party and loved it. I know some schools offer it as a club afterschool.

Thank you all for replying, looks like I have some more research to do! Will look at Mad Science.