1:10pm Tuesday 9th March 2010
By Emma Streatfield
CHILDREN have been learning about the mysteries of the universe in GCSE astronomy classes.
Pupils from Ridgeway School, in Wroughton, and Nova Hreod School, on Akers Way, have been doing extra after school lessons in the subject for the past five months.
The GCSE started in September and runs over two years for students from Years 8 and 9. It involves a mixture of exams and coursework and is as an extra qualification on top of their regular subjects.
The plan had been to run the scheme jointly, but this proved too difficult logistically.
At Nova Hreod School, 11 students are taking part and should complete the GCSE by 2011, two years prior to their other exams.
Pupils are under no obligation to actually take the exams at the end of the course.
A further nine pupils are taking part from Ridgeway.
The scheme at Nova Hreod involves not only top students, selected under the school’s gifted and talented programme, but anyone who showed passion for the subject.
Over the past months they have been learning about constellations and galaxies and will next be focusing on the birth and death of stars.
As part of Science and Engineering Week, a professor of astronomy will be visiting to talk to students at Nova Hread later this month.
The scheme is being funded through the school.
Marc Elsley, science specialism coordinator and science teacher at Nova Hreod, said despite a few drop outs the three boys and eight girls involved had really embraced the subject.
He said he believed it had also had a positive impact on the students’ academic performance in science.
“It’s brought one or two really out of their shell, it’s really stretching them and it’s a good link into a lot of other sciences.
“When they go back to the classrooms their minds are operating at a higher level.
Although no further teacher training was required to run the course, Mr Elsley said he was having to read up on the subject-matter and constantly being challenged by the students with new questions.
Coordinator at Ridgeway School, Kevin Dawes, said: “It’s like any other GCSE, but only one exam board runs the course so it’s not that common.
“There are quite a few schools in the country that do it, usually it’s for Year 10 or 11 students or sixth formers.”
His students have been learning about the solar system, stars and galaxies.
“It’s quite hard work because it’s all new to me in terms of content, but it’s really good fun,” he said.
“It goes beyond what would happen in normal science lessons, we do look at the technical side of astronomy.
“They’re really enjoying it.”
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