The Network Group, which is to become our Science Cluster, is derived from the long-standing Tiptree and Stanway Consortium that has been working together for 25 years. The group has included several other schools and will continue to work collaboratively develop science, facilitated by the PSTT Programme.

Cluster Lead: Rebecca May

The eight, current, participating schools are listed below. Please complete the Contact Us form if you wish to discuss any potential involvement with this Cluster.

Birch Church of England VA Primary School

School Hill, Colchester CO2 0LZ

Ardleigh St Mary’s Church of England Primary School

Colchester Rd, Ardleigh, Colchester CO7 7NS

Milldene Primary School

65 Barbrook Ln, Tiptree, Colchester CO5 0EF

All Saints’ Church of England VA Primary School

29A Highlands Dr, Maldon CM9 6HY

Tiptree Heath Primary School

103 Maldon Rd, Tiptree, Colchester CO5 0PG

St Andrew’s C of E VC Primary School

Mandeville Rd, Marks Tey, Colchester CO6 1HL

Mersea Island School

Barfield Rd, West Mersea, Colchester CO5 8QX

Prettygate Infant School

Plume Ave, Colchester CO3 4PH

Our Vision:

The overall vision of the Cluster is to raise standards of teaching and learning in science in the Consortium.

We have identified our main outcomes:

-to raise children’s enjoyment of and enthusiasm and curiosity for science

-to raise staff’s enjoyment of and engagement with teaching science

- to raise confidence in teaching of science within staff

- to influence science positively beyond our Cluster and into the rest of the Consortium.

The impact of this will be children approaching science with confidence and enthusiasm as they transition to secondary school and developing their continuing interest in science as they move through school and into their chosen careers. We are an ambitious group.

Our Aims:

The Cluster carried out the ASE Science Leaders’ Audit in order to identify common areas for improvement. The work we identified fits into 3 approaches:

1. Work requiring continuous development, review improvement and embedding during the 5 years of the cluster.
2. Curriculum review and organisation work.
3. Discrete projects and creating further opportunities for science.

The Cluster aims to focus on developing working on investigative work with the children and the assessment of science as our long-term on-going project. We plan to:

• Implement curriculum changes that will support the assessment work with a ‘continuous provision’ approach
• Focus on scientific vocabulary and its application to the wider curriculum
• Carry out some research together in order to enhance our curriculums with the work of varied scientists.
• Share and support with the implementation of specific science projects to enhance the wider opportunities for science in our schools

Activities:

This section will be updated after the Cluster Programme Report and Review in Autumn 2020

To find out more information about our cluster programme or how you can you get involved please feel free to contact us and we will respond as soon as possible.