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Badminton School Pioneering Science Outreach programme
Recent reports in the media suggest that “Girls see physics as a male dominated industry” and that girls do not take physics at A-level because they think the subject is only for males, so MPs have been told.
The Science Outreach Badminton School is a unique programme established to help redress this imbalance in three key ways: By providing strong, positive role models of young female scientists engaged in exciting practical work, by encouraging the uptake of STEM subjects and by providing girls who wish to study science beyond A Level with a set of unique experiences they can use to support applications to higher education courses.
Pupils get the opportunity to demonstrate and present a range of science experiments in front of audiences varying from primary school aged children to audiences in their thousands; The Science Outreach teams gets invited to big ticket events such as The Big Bang Fair, WOMAD and Green Man Festival.
is needed now More than ever
The events are almost always aimed at both girls and boys. The girls need the inspiration of seeing females doing exciting practical work and speaking confidently about the subject. Meanwhile a key element of overcoming gender-based stereotypes in science is for boys to see that it is normal for girls to be confidently undertaking practical roles.
Science Outreach keeps on getting invited back to large events because they are one of the best and unique examples of girls engaged in the physical sciences.
Noor Fatima, Badminton School Science Outreach Officer (aged 16) said: “Our main work is providing a diverse set of role models for young children, to counteract the perception that physics and other sciences only appeal to white men. At my school we want the physical sciences to be inclusive; to show young women’s interest and involvement in them. Through this approach we also enable our community to continue engaging with science even when they choose a different academic path: Everyone can have fun doing physics even if they don’t become a physicist because we make science accessible to all.”
Find out more at the Badminton School Open Days:
Sixth Form – Friday 23 September and Whole School – Saturday 1 October
Register free: https://www.badmintonschool.co.uk/admissions/open-days-school-visits
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