2003 School Magazine

FACULTIES

S CIE N CE WORKING IN THE NEW LABORATORIES

A TEACHER'S PERSPECTIVE If I were to describe the predominant ambience of our new aboratories, I would use the word intimate, meaning cosy, friendly, warm. snug, comfortable. The labs are divided into two areas - one for seatwork ithe black benchesI, the other for practical work (the white benchesI. There are two rows of black benches. The front row is lower than the row behind it and hugs the teacher's bench. This organisation offers many advantages. If the teacher stands at the front bench, all students are close to the teacher, much closer than possible in the old labs. Students are also closer to the whiteboard, giving them a clearer view of the information written on it. and closer to each other, making class discussions much more intimate and personal. Similarly, the view from the teacher's bench is all-encompassing, often to the chagrin of students Each laboratory has a computer on the teacher's bench, and four are equipped with fa ntastic, user-friendly technology. in Science, we are using electronic data and collection devices more more

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1111/1/11 vibrancy of the learning environment. The new facilities offer a safe and inspiration al environment in which to interact with a stimulating curriculum.

frequently and increased access to computers allows us to manage practical work with far greater efficiency. The Science staff have created wonderful displays on the walls and in purpose- built display cabinets that add to the

Dr S Stephens Head of Faculty

LA B O R AT O RY T E C H N I CIA N S ' P E R S P E CTIVE S

"Can I have this equipment down in E1.6 next lesson?" Twelve months ago this would have been a difficult request to fukil, but now it's a breeze. With the refurbishment of the Science building and the installation of the lift we can now move equipment safely a easily at a moments notice. This flexibility is due not only to the lift but also the new 'Gratnells' storage-system. Gratnells is an adjustable system that integrates shelving, trolleys and storage units, allowing each practical experiment to be set out and moved conveniently and then easily packed away when no longer required All the wonderful new features of the refurbishment enable us to more effective Iy deliver the practical requirements of the Science curriculum.

Mrs C Love and Ms T Priest

A STUDENT'S PERSPECTIVE The benefits of the new labs are numerous. Too many to list, really. The curved black benches make it easier for teachers to help students and allow everyone to see the board without glare problems. They also mean that there is no 'black corner' for troublemakers to sit and talk and distract the class. The layout also allows for practical benches around the fringes of the room, each one containing a computer so USB links can be used to measure and graph

certain information. This has allowed for more accurate results and therefore makes experiments a lot easier to understand. The added component of a projector hanging from the ceiling allows the teacher to show animations and other information to everyone at the same time. The refurbishment of the Science labs has led to an improved method of teaching and learning. Sarah Hateley (10M)

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