CPD Sessions
The National Space Academy project has been selected by the European Space Agency's (ESA) new UK Space Education Office ESERO to deliver outstanding teacher CPD (Continuing Professional Development) events across England.
These intensive CPD events will be delivered at the National Space Centre in Leicester, Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, and schools across the country by outstanding teachers and will share a large range of inspiring, curriculum focused hands-on activities, teaching ideas and a memory stick with resources that can be taken back and immediately implemented in the classroom.
Bespoke CPD Sessions
The National Space Academy is able to tailor CPD support for the specific requirements of individual schools, academies or Federations to fit into existing CPD schedules and/or twilight sessions. These sessions can be delivered on-site at the institutions which request them, at the National Space Centre in Leicester, or at RAL Space or the International Space Innovation Centre in Harwell. For further details please contact us.
In the East Midlands, the National Space Academy works collaboratively and in partnership with the Science Learning Centre East Midlands. As part of this collaboration all teachers delivering CPD have been trained by the Science Learning Centre East Midlands in developing effective CPD and have been quality assured by them as deliverers of high quality CPD sessions.
Some CPD sessions are delivered on behalf of the Science Learning Centre East Midlands, with whom the National Space Academy shares learning outcomes. In order to satisfy the Science Learning Centre's requirements these courses follow clear evaluation and impact processes.
As part of the partnership between the National Space Academy and the Science Learning Centre East Midlands, some CPD sessions offered will qualify for bursaries called Impact Awards. The awards are available for each qualified teacher from a maintained school attending the eligible CPD session.
The network of National Space Academy Lead Educators aims to make these sessions available across the country. Lead Educators will be able to travel to schools in their area, and further afield by special arrangement, to provide these courses wherever there is sufficient demand. If you would like to arrange a CPD session at a venue near you please contact us.
Search CPD courses by subject below or look at our key dates.
Space Physics for Non-Specialists: 3 complementary stand-alone sessions
National Space Centre, Leicester. 9.30am - 3.30pm. Various Dates
"Space" and the physics curriculum – it's so much more than just the orbits of the planets or the ultimate fate of the Universe. Contexts from space science can be successfully used for teaching topics as diverse as gravity, phases of matter and even the physics behind the motor effect.
This complementary suite of three intensive, day long CPD sessions, each available as a stand-alone session, will introduce you to activities and methodologies that use space as an inspirational context for teaching physics in your own classroom.
Each day will provide opportunities to explore and refine understanding, update strategies for teaching and increase subject knowledge. Practical activities to excite and enthuse students and ICT resources will also be explored. Participants will receive a range of digital resources to bring the physics of space to students.
Whether you want to attend one day, two, all three days, or split the suite of courses across your department, these sessions and the digital resources you receive will equip you to bring the physics of space to your students.
Read more: Space Physics for Non-Specialists: 3 complementary stand-alone sessions
Active Approaches & More Active Approaches in A-level Physics Suite (Two sessions)
National Space Centre, Leicester. 9.30am - 3.30pm. Various Dates
This two day suite of training sessions has been designed in response to teachers who wish to explore even more 'space related' strategies for teaching A level physics and will focus on practical activities to encourage classroom engagement as well as in depth analysis of physical principles involved in space studies and the application of these to the curriculum. The second day particularly will include the mathematics involved in space physics allowing participants to revive their algebra and numeracy skills with a view to finding new ways to introduce these skills to students. Teachers can attend either day one or two as standalone CPD sessions or attend both as part of a complementary CPD suite for a thorough immersion into space physics in the classroom.
Read more: Active Approaches & More Active Approaches in A-level Physics Suite (Two sessions)
Practical Work in Physics
Friday, 1st February 2013 and Wednesday, 10th July 2013
The National Space Centre, Leicester 9.30am - 3.30pm
This session will enable teachers of physics to explore ideas for teaching topics across the physics curriculum and develop an understanding of how practical work can be made more relevant and effective using the inspirational context of 'space'. Hands-on opportunities will explore interesting and creative approaches to new and familiar practical techniques using a range of resources, publications and ICT applications.
Physics CPD Twilight Session
Thursday, 6th June 2013
The National Space Centre, Leicester 4.00pm - 6.30pm
This evening course for non-specialists will focus on using space science to engage students with the physics curriculum. The session will look closely at examples of space physics which can be explained with classroom demonstrations, providing memorable pathways to learning and developing the confidence of teachers to tackle physics whatever their specialism.
Active Approaches in Physics
Tuesday, 18th June 2013
The National Space Centre, Leicester 9.30am - 3.30pm
This session, for teachers and lecturers reasonably confident in their subject knowledge, will provide opportunities to explore the acknowledged benefits of active, collaborative and 'minds-on' approaches to learning at advanced level. A range of 'space related' strategies, tools and resources will be explored and there will be ample opportunity to work in collaboration with other participants to develop some new teaching and learning activities appropriate for A Level topics and post-16 students.
Practical Work in Chemistry
Friday, 21st June 2013
This session will enable teachers of chemistry to explore a range of ideas for teaching topics across the chemistry curriculum and develop an understanding of how practical work can be made more relevant and effective using the inspirational context of Martian exploration. There will be hands-on opportunities to explore interesting and creative approaches to new and familiar practical techniques using a range of resources, publications and ICT applications.
Astronomy CPD for GCSE
Monday 3rd June 2013
The National Space Centre, Leicester 9.30am - 3.30pm
This full-day, intensive CPD session will introduce you to a range of hands-on teaching ideas, demonstrations and activities to allow you to bring the topic of Astronomy alive in your classroom. Whether you are teaching the space topic in GCSE science, the evolution of the Universe to your KS5 Physicists or teaching GCSE Astronomy, this course is packed full of ideas and resources to implement immediately in your classroom. From concepts of gravity to using multi-spectral analysis to find out more about our universe than we could ever have hoped to know, these approaches can enrich many topics of your general science teaching.
The day will be split into two sessions, with lunch and a planetarium show included in the day.
To find out more about our CPD sessions and teacher conferences, please contact us.
