Year 11 GCSE Science Live at Sheffield
In February, 18 students from Year 11 attended the Science Live tour in Sheffield. Here several leading scientists in their field gave lectures to inspire the scientists of tomorrow.
These included:
Professor Tony Ryan, whose field of expertise includes sustainable energy and feeding the rapidly growing human population in the future. He is widely known in the scientific world and has presented the Children’s Christmas Lectures on TV.
Professor Robert Winston, a mural of whom is in our Science department, a pioneer of IVF treatment and a renowned communicator of science, with a fascinating lecture on fertilisation.
Doctor Hannah Critchlow, a presenter of Tomorrow’s World, showing brain waves in real time and how your brain processes external stimuli. She has been named as one of Cambridge University’s Inspirational and Successful Woman in Science.
The Science Live tour was organised with collaboration from the AQA exam board, who had in attendance the Chief Examiner for Science, who gave two talks on the way the exam paper is structured, the meanings of key words to look out for in the exam and how best to tackle the various sections of the papers to achieve the maximum marks.
The students worked extremely hard all day, gathering information that will be invaluable when it comes to their science exams in the summer. They were a credit to the school, showing a maturity beyond their years while there, and all came away with a new sense of purpose towards their studies and possible future careers in Science related subjects.
Student feedback regarding the event
• What have you enjoyed most during the day?
The chance to meet different people in the science world.
Seeing Professor Robert Winston.
Learning about neuroscience and conscious brain activity.
Talks from different professors about different aspects of science.
• How do you think this will benefit you in your Science GCSE exam?
I will be able to use tips from the top examiner during my exam.
The exam technique talk will help me to remember how to approach questions.
It will provide an insight on how to answer exam questions.
It reminded me of the benefits A level Science will give me – will try harder at GCSE!
• How do you think this may change your future career choices?
It better informs me of what subjects lead to different parts of Science based jobs.
Maybe consider more into neuroscience.
It told us what different scientists do and shows the bigger picture of how science works.
I was given an insight into different job choices.
• Would you recommend this venue for future Year 11s? Why?
Definitely, as we are more informed about the types of jobs available from taking Science, as well as GCSE exam tips.
Yes, because they went into detail about many different issues and studies in a way we could understand and that was interesting and fun.
Yes, it was very interesting and showed a vast range of different Sciences.
Yes, it was interesting and gave us a new perspective on different science career opportunities.
