BOLTON’S outstanding schools have established a private-state school partnership to inspire the next generation of scientists to reverse the trend of the lack of young people developing careers in that field.

Bolton School girls’ division has been working with Prestolee Primary School in Stoneclough, which runs a centre for Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the subject by incorporating it with technology, engineering, art and maths (STEAM). The idea was to develop teachers’ confidence and subject knowledge which would in turn develop children’s enthusiasm for science.

Sue Hincks, headmistress of Bolton School girls’ division, said: “Conscious that there is a shortage of primary teachers who are considered STEM — science, technology, engineering and maths — specialists, Prestolee and ourselves felt this would be a good area in which to provide a development opportunity for Initial Teacher Training (ITT) students.

“As an independent school with a philanthropic ethos at the core of its values, we were delighted to work with such a renowned ITT provider as Prestolee and to learn from colleagues in the state sector who have experience of delivering excellence in this area.”

Brendan Ickringill, physics teacher, added: “Our qualitative research shows that the project has built the confidence and competence of ITT students to deliver STEM subjects in a manner that leads to effective and enjoyable learning for pupils. We are also confident they can now deliver lessons which are engaging and effective and offer real world context.

“We have also sought to teach that creativity within STEM subjects is imperative and just as important as in the arts. Our intention now is to disseminate knowledge about the session more widely so that others can replicate or develop what we have done.

“Looking at the bigger picture, a workforce with skills in the STEM subjects is critically important to the UK economy. Nationally, there is a shortage of pupils continuing to study STEM subjects at A-level and beyond and we need to do something to arrest that trend.

“There is a current lack of ITT institutions who provide high quality training in practical science. We have tried to instil in the trainees the need to investigate and experiment in practical work rather than teaching didactically through closed instructions. Lessons should involve discussion and exploration in order to maintain pupils’ attention. If we can imbue young children with a love of STEM subjects then they will carry this with them into secondary school and beyond.”

The partnership between the two schools has been described as innovative.

Leader of ITT at Prestolee SCITT Vicky Gould said: “It is our responsibility as an ITT provider to ensure we develop trainee teachers who can nurture and build on children’s skill-set in order for them to be successful in a 21st century society which is full of unknown possibilities.” Mike Tonge, executive headteacher of Prestolee Trust, said: “Innovation is at the heart of excellence. As a leading provider of ITT, we want to produce the very best entrants to the profession in order to make a difference to children’s lives for generations to come.”