Welcome

As an award winner you are now a fellow of the AZSTT Primary Science Teacher College.

Who are we?

What do we do?

What’s in it for you?

In 2010 the AZSTT established the Primary Science Teacher College. This virtual College drew together past winners of the AZSTT Primary Science Teacher Award and all new winners are automatically fellows of this College.The College has its own annual conference, web area and most importantly its own funding. The Trust invests a large sum of money every year to allow these excellent teachers to develop new projects, undertake professional development and to disseminate best practice from their own teaching and that from the Trust funded work.

EvolveThe college continues to grow and develop as new members join. A new strategy has been developed to lead the college forwards, ensuring that our passion is shared and our collaborative excellence continues to supports other colleagues.

Changing lives

Find out how lives have changed for some of our

past winners.

Hi, I’m Caroline Palmer

Since winning the AZSTT prize way

back in 2003 I have been really active in Primary Science

I worked for 5 years as a Primary Science AST in Bournemouth providing

Science CPD and outreach in other schools.

Now I am an Independent Primary Science Consultant in Dorset, passing on my

skills and enthusiasm to Primary teachers.

The AZSTT College is really supportive and links me with other

Primary Science educationalists.

INSPIRING

Hi, I’m Deborah

Myers . I delivered Spooky Science activities to crowds in Durham – we had over 5 and a half thousand visitors.

From my perspective as a Lecturer and PDL at SLC North East it’s all about credibility in the classroom.

The photographs show me with the children during my Rolls-Royce Science Project a week after the award.

CHALLENGING

In terms of how life has changed,that's a tricky one - there still aren't enough hours in the week!

Hello, I'm Sue Martin

I have met a lot of wonderful, inspiring peoplethis year and am really excited about future project possibilities!I feel really supported by the Collegeand its members and proud to be part of it!

NURTURING

.

Hi, I'm Sarah.

Sorry for the lack of photographsbut my life has certainly changed...

I'm on maternity leave!

Basically winning opened so many doors for me.

I was able to apply for AST status and have been able to support

other schools.

Financially for me,the award money

helped to pay for part of mywedding!

The money enabled school to take part on PSQM

and update our resources.

PSQM not only demonstratedmy abilities

but also placed a spotlight on theschool as a whole.

Overall, it's great to have some sort ofreflection and recognition for excellent

teachers, that at the moment,where teacher baiting seems to be fashion,

is sorely needed.

REFRESHING

Hello,I'm Kathy Schofield,

My highlight was running the firstNational SLC course Rising to the Challenge.

Then being asked to deliver a Keynote speech at the Primary Conference

and of course, being Chair of theASE Primary Committee.

.

Being a role model

Hi, I'm Lisa Woods

After working as an enthusiastic science coordinator for several years,I was nominated for a Primary Science Teacher of the Year Award in 2007. It was a huge honour and achievement for me to win this and it has had amassive impact on my teaching career since.

The recognition of the work I had done, inspired me to take the next steps in my journey as a teacher and I became a primary science advanced skills teacher in 2008. This was a fantastic opportunity for me, as it allowed me to work in a number of different schools to help teachers and pupils engage with science in a more purposeful and enjoyable context. As a direct result of my work doing this, I was selected by the Fuchs Foundation to take part in a 6 week expedition to Antarctica. The aim of which was to create teaching resources and carry out an educational science project that would help to inspire a generation children. With the help of Ricky the puppet, Millgate House, AZSTT and the ASE, I managed to successfully carry out a nationwide blogging project that provided hundreds of children the opportunity to engage scientifically with my adventure

Being a member of the college now is an amazing privilege as it means I have the opportunity to directly impact and help shape the face of science education. By being part of a network of other educators who are similarly passionate about teaching and learning in science, we are able to spread the word and lay down strong foundations for future scientists.

Since that time, I have become part of The College and, although on a

lesser scale, I have received funding which has meant that I have been able

to carry out small scale science projects in my school. These have

helped to raise the profile of science, provide high quality CPD for the staff I

work with and improve children’s standards in science.

When you have been quietly teaching science for a few decades you do not expect your career to suddenly take off and present you with theunthought-of opportunities which have come my way this year.Starting with the award ceremony at the ASE conference in Liverpool, where we were treated as celebrities, it has been an amazing year.Admittedly, I didn’t really enjoy the photographs (think rabbit in car headlights) or the radio interviews (especially a telephone one in my local leisure centre which took place while I supervised an athletics session!) But they have helped highlight science, its importance in the primary curriculum and our wee school to a wider audience. Thanks to AZSTT I have met and been able to work and share ideas with some brilliant, like-minded people, attend inspirational talks and come to realise that I can have some useful input into how science is delivered in my part of the UK.I have had the opportunity to deliver workshops, work with and help groups of teachers, attend meetings with the main people in education and next month I will be talking to our Minister for Education and AZSTT tells me that this is just the start!!! Watch this space.

Hi, I'm Lesley Hunter

Motivating

Supporting

Hello,I'm Kate Ardron

Since winning the award in 2010 lifehas changed enormously.

I thought I had a rich and full careerbefore, but it has been awonderful journey since.

Funding for my role as AST inNorth Tyneside was secured and

this continues toenable me to raise the profile of

Primary Science

My work as an AST has enabled me to support

teachersand children in over

30 schools.

I now deliver science on thePGCE

and SCITT Programmes and canmotivate and excite ourteachers of the future.

I am asked to speak atworkshops

and conferences regionally and nationally

I was successful at achievingPSQM Gold award

for the school.

I have written forPrimary Science

Magazine.

Since the award I have also

been appointed asSLE for

a Teaching Alliance.

I am now a Deputy Head Teacher as

well as continuing with my rolesas AST and SLE.

I feel supported by the College,

they believe in me. I've lots of lovely friends.

WOWING

The AZSTT Primary Award has had such a significant impactupon me as a teacher, the school in which I work and my local area through our cluster of schools.The generous financial aspect of the award had an immediate impact,of course, but the award itself also added to the buzz that Sciencegives the school in a very exciting way.It has given us such a boost.

Hello,I'm Peter Sainsbury

A unique aspect of this award is that is also leads to on-going impact; the continued interest,encouragement and, indeed, challenge that the Trustees and College give to its members hasmeant that each of us has the potential of sustained impact.Winterbourne Earls Primary School and the East Salisbury Cluster have been able to tap intoso many new resources and network with numerous organisations that we may not have been aware of or able to link with!

Primary Science is at the heart of the Trust and College - in changing times {that are often exciting but always challenging} we are a powerful advocate for Science in the Primary Sector.This advocate has a long term interest and so the potential is great.On a personal level, the Primary Science Award has had a huge effect on my teaching and work in schools. It has been such a positive event – you could say changing my career direction and focus in many ways; its got a lot to answer for! Very interesting, exciting and somewhat scary!

Collaborating

Dear ReadersI have been teaching 36 years. I have enjoyed every second of being a Primary school teacher. It gives rewards like no other job and I have never had time to even clock watch.I have turned up everyday and done my very best for the children I teach and that is the same for every other teacher I have ever met in my 36 years. Teachers know that their work counts so they all give their best ever second of the day.But sometimes you are one of the lucky teachers who get picked to celebrate the hard work all teachers do. That was me last year, two equally wonderful teachers at my school nominated me for the science teacher of the year award.First was the awe that I had been put forward, and then there was the panic that I had been short listed, and then there was the observation. However the children shine and give their very best because they care that you win.Finally there is the wait before the phone call…

…I still remember that phone call as if it were yesterday, I was so over the moon I had won, and so was every other member of our school.I had so many congratulation cards, somehow even teachers I had taught with in Wolverhampton in the 70s found out and wrote to me. It was truly magic and very humbling.This award has meant so much to me and my family; it is very hard to put it into words…But it is so wonderful that after a life time of teaching I was lucky and fortunate to be picked to go up on a stage and be thanked and acknowledged for the work I had done over the years. I am so truly grateful to the sponsors for the whole wonderful experience.Where next… the story continues for me as I am now part of a college of “Science teachers” who are just wonderful inspiring teachers who seem to know so much about Primary teaching and I can pick their brains any time. This summer a science team from Bristol University will be running a workshop for local schools in our area raising the profile of Primary science. I have been shown some wonderful primary science trails which I hope to develop in the locality for our children.Finally I have also made some wonderful new friends which utterly inspire me every time we meet together…So thank you for choosing me!