Content of CLEAPSS courses for science teachers in secondary schools
A Demonstration is not just for Christmas Back to course list
This is 1-hour talk (with demonstrations) suitable for conferences. Demonstrations as starters or finishers of lessons can have a direct impact on a child’s enthusiasm for science. They should be a natural part of teaching strategy and not just presented as "fun" items for Christmas or Parent evenings. However, they have to be done safely, correctly and with a sense of drama. A laboratory is best for this talk but it can be adapted for a room.
It could run in conjunction with Reduced and Microscale Chemistry.
Biological Safety Back to course list
Safe, legal and humane biology: this 1-day course will help teachers to understand and interpret the many regulations, recommendations and advice from various sources (much of which is confusing, out of date or contradictory) which relate to the safe teaching and resourcing of biology in schools. In addition, discussion will be extended to consider legal matters and the humane treatment of living organisms. The emphasis will be on helping to dispel the abundant myths and rumours which often influence the teaching of biology. The course does not involve any practical work though participants will be fully involved in interactive discussions which will also provide the opportunity for individual queries to be answered.
Health and Safety Management for Heads of Science or their Deputies Back to course list
The main emphasis of this one-day course is on management issues and risk assessment. It is intended for Heads of Science, their deputies, heads of physics, etc and those aspiring to such posts.
The objectives for the day are to:
It is hoped that, by the end of the day, participants will appreciate the need for a health and safety policy, will have at least the outline of such a policy for their own establishment and have considered how its implementation can be sensibly monitored.
There will be a mixture of lectures, discussions, and a variety of activities intended to enhance participants' understanding of the legislative framework and how it applies in schools, especially risk assessment. Common, and not so common but serious, accidents which occur in school science will be examined, and the implications for management discussed. There will also be plenty of opportunities for participants to identify their own areas of concern. Legal requirements for risk assessment both in the curriculum and in the prep room will be considered. Included in the package, will be checklists which Heads of Department, or other senior managers, could use to audit their school's procedures.
It will be helpful if participants can bring with them a laptop computer (and extension cable) on which they have, or can run, the CLEAPSS Science Publications CD-ROM.
For a small additional charge, delegates can be given a personal copy of the ASE’s Safeguards in the School Laboratory.
Health and Safety in practical science for teachers Back to course list
This one-day course is intended to give new science teachers a sound overview of the common health and safety issues in secondary school science, and how to deal effectively with them.
The objectives for the day are to:
A mix of talks, group discussions and workshop activities are intended to encourage participants to share their concerns. A typical 1-day course would look at the legal requirements; the respective roles of the teacher and the employer; sources of health & safety advice and information; risk assessment; dealing with emergencies and a discussion of case studies. The content is subject to negotiation and other aspects can be included if required.
It will be helpful if participants can bring with them a laptop computer (and extension cable) on which they have, or can run, the CLEAPSS Science Publications CD-ROM.
Some ASE and CLEAPSS publications will be on sale during the course at cost (invoices will be supplied).
Health, Safety and Risk Assessment and Safety Update for Classroom Teachers Back to course list
This one-day course is a mixture of lectures, small group discussion and workshop activities. Covers legal requirements, debunks some myths and uses case studies to consider whether the accident could happen in the participants' schools. Similar to the Management of Safety course for Heads of Science but omits the management aspects, leaving more time to address issues such as first aid and to discuss individual concerns.
Microbiology Back to course list
This 1-day course will provide technicians and teachers with all the information they will need for experimental work normally carried out in schools and colleges using bacteria and fungi, including how to prepare media and cultures, and dispose of used materials. Basic techniques are covered with some extension to more advanced applications. There will be an emphasis on the acquisition of practical skills in handling microbiological materials, together with a full discussion of all relevant safety precautions. Course participants will prepare and inoculate various agar plates which they will take with them for incubation and subsequent examination and disposal in their own schools/colleges.
Each participant should bring a clean laboratory coat to wear during the practical parts of the course.
The topics covered on the course are as follows:
Radiation Protection Supervisor Training Back to course list
This one-day course is designed for the school Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS), i.e. the person responsible for safe storage, use and monitoring of radioactive sources in the science department. The RPS has management functions and will normally be a member of the teaching staff, often the Head of Physics. Any teacher who uses radioactive sources will also benefit. See CLEAPSS leaflet PS75, which explains why the RPS should be a teacher.
Please note that if a technician wishes to find out more about radiation safety, we recommend that he or she attends our Physics Training for Science Technicians
The RPS course includes practical demonstrations and is based on the CLEAPSS guide L93 Managing Ionising Radiations and Radioactive Substances. It covers questions frequently asked on the CLEAPSS Helpline.There are opportunities to raise issues and to ask specific questions. Topics include:
Reduced and Microscale Chemistry Back to course list
Practical procedures for pupils using conventional equipment are often time-consuming and maybe left out of teaching, consequently lowering pupil expectations of secondary school science. Small-scale chemistry is quick, saves on chemicals and offers variety in presentation. The course covers indicators, precipitation, salt preparation, titrations, thiosulfate/acid kinetics, iron/sulfur reactions, working with toxic gases and carrying out small-scale vigorous reactions. This workshop requires a laboratory because participants (please bring safety spectacles & calculators) will carry out the procedures themselves. It is intended for up to 16 teachers but technicians are also welcome. A full session lasts for 1 day but a shorter version (½-day) can be run (in conjunction with Surely it’s banned or a Fume Cupboard Testing course).
For conferences, a 1-hour workshop is available, which may be repeated or run with A Demonstration is not just for Christmas. In this case it can be adapted for a room.
Please bring safety spectacles.
Safe and Exciting Classroom Chemistry [Part of the Science Learning Centres' programme under the title "Science Demonstrations: effective and safe"] Back to course list
This one-day course is ideally suited to new (or recently qualified) teachers as well as those who are not chemistry specialists. Higher Level Teaching Assistants providing support in science lessons would also find the course very useful.Participants will have the opportunity for hands-on practise of a wide range of chemistry experiments and demonstrations. The experiments have been selected so that they link to curriculum topics across Key Stages 3 and 4 and post-16 courses as well as highlighting significant aspects of health and safety in chemistry. Relevant information about H&S legislation, dealing with emergencies and risk assessment is incorporated into the day using a mixture of ‘5-minute talks’, quizzes and group discussions. Where the facility exists for pre-course assessment, the content can, to some extent, be tailored to course participants.
A well-ventilated laboratory with typical school facilities (gas, electricity and water), apparatus and resources (e.g. basic glassware and chemicals) would be needed although the presenter will provide many of the specific requirements. A screen and, if possible, data projector is required. Participants will be asked to bring a laptop unless the venue can provide access to IT facilities. The presenter would need some time to set up – ideally the afternoon of the previous day or around 1½ hours on the day of the course. Some level of technical support would be appreciated and a fully detailed requisition list would be provided well in advance of the course date.
Participants will also need to bring suitable eye protection and a lab coat.
Surely it's banned Back to course list
This talk with over 16 chemistry demonstrations takes its title from the report written for the Royal Society of Chemistry, which showed that pupils often do not witness the many wonderful visual experiences that science (and particularly chemistry) has to offer. "Health and safety" is often cited for not doing demonstrations such as the fat-pan fire and hydrogen/air explosions. There is a mistaken perception that they are banned. The talk will show teachers of chemistry at KS3 & 4, and technicians, the secrets behind each demonstration and where to find details of how to do them. The talk lasts 2 hours with 1.5 hours setting up time and 30 minutes to dismantle the equipment.
Numbers are limited by the size of the room, which needs to be a lecture theatre or laboratory (without a smoke detector!) with access to a fume cupboard. Technicians are also welcome to attend with their teachers. It is suitable as an after school session (with a full day’s course on the following day in this Local Authority or one close by) or it can be run in conjunction with a workshop in Reduced and Microscale chemistry.
Please bring safety spectacles.
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