Children Challenging Industry in the North East

What is Children Challenging Industry? The Children Challenging Industry project enables 9-11 year old pupils to experience real-life science by visiting chemical and related companies. The project aims to: - Enthuse primary pupils with a love of science - Provide class-based training for teachers in (national curriculum key stage 2) investigative science and related industries - Raise teachers' and children's perceptions of the chemical and allied industry CCI has been operating in the North East for five years and is managed by a regional advisory teacher, Nicky Waller, hosted in 2004-5 by NEPIC. Click here to view the CCI-PSEP Summer 2007 Newsletter Click here to view the CCI-PSEP Autumn 2007 Newsletter

NEPIC members significantly sponsoring CCI:

To date, in the North East region, over 30 companies , many of these are NEPIC members, offer site visits for primary pupils, including:

How it works

1. The advisory teacher contacts interested companies and visits the site to determine the tour topic from Water for Industry, Salt, Colour, Kitchen Concoctions or Plastics.
2. Companies are given the opportunity to nominate a local school to participate in the site tour. Company personnel are trained to ensure that the tour is suitable for primary children and links to class science lessons.
3. The advisory teacher visits the school and delivers 3 practical industrial-based science lessons to pupils. Training is also provided to teachers in investigative science, making school-industry links and help with the delivery of National Curriculum science.
4. The class participate in the visit and pupils feedback their experiences to the advisory teacher and the company.

What are the benefits?

1) Industry
Companies build lasting relationships with local schools and the wider community.
Company personnel receive training to run site visits and widen their communications skills.
Companies can gain satisfaction from knowing that they are helping to encourage future generations to consider a career in the industry.

2) Teachers
Class-based training in the delivery of National Curriculum science.
Improved confidence in planning future investigative science teaching.
A better understanding and improved perception of the chemical industry.
Guidance in making and maintaining school-industry links.

3) Pupils
Raised knowledge of industrial processes and improved perception of the chemical industry.
Improved awareness of career opportunities in industry.
Enthusiasm for science.
Experience and improved skills in planning and carrying out science investigations.

How to get involved

Contact the CCI by the Advisory Teacher Nicky Waller.

Site visit to BOC

By William Cassidi CE Primary, Stockton

'"Children's understanding of the Water topic was enhanced by hands-on experiences, expertise of staff and real life problem-solving situations; simple experiments conducted were given real life applications and staff were able to answer all of the children's questions. The entire visit was enjoyable, informative and helped us to form great links with community and industry."

Class Teacher, William Cassidi Primary School.

Ian Williamson demonstrates experiments to show the children some of the many
daily applications of nitrogen.

The weeks of preparation paid off! The end of a very successful first site visit for BOC.

Site visit to Johnson Matthey Catalysts

By Elwick Hall Primary School , Hartlepool

'"Children were able to see aspects of their work on a larger scale. It was very well-planned and very friendly staff made the tour interesting for the children. Children were very enthusiastic about the company, and the science industry. They all want to be scientists!"

Class Teacher, Elwick Hall Primary School.

Seeing how a scientist works up close! Stephen shows us how to mix two liquids to
make a solid. This is called precipitation.

Class session on Making an effective bubble mixture
(Kitchen Concoctions session 2)

"'The children's understanding has exceeded my expectations. A very enjoyable and worthwhile experience."

Class Teacher, St.Pius X Primary School, Middlesbrough.

Choosing the exact ratio of ingredients to make a bubble that lasts the longest.

Class session on Salt at Hemlington Hall
Primary School, Middlesbrough

'"The children had experience of science investigations and their interest in science increased. I had a chance to learn new ideas for organising science investigations and will feel more confident about this in the future."

Class Teacher, Hemlington Hall Primary School.

The final stage of making pure salt from rock salt for Mrs. Waller's chips.

Company training for the six major companies on the
Wilton International site

"'I am personally a strong supporter of the CCI project and hope to be involved in the project for many year
to come."

Angela Hughes , Quality and Communications Manager, Huntsman Polyurethanes.

Industrialists from AdvanSA aim to cool down hot water as quickly as possible by
modelling a mini heat exchanger.

Teachers' training session

'"The delivery of the session was lively and informative. I came out full of ideas. I have been thinking of making a visit to industry for a while, but was not quite sure how to go about it. I now have the information I need to go ahead with such a visit." Teachers, Tees Valley Primary School.

NEPIC Launch, Hardwick Hall

Pupils from Errington Primary School , Redcar demonstrate how to follow a manufacturing
recipe to make soap. Dave Lockyer from BOC looks suitably impressed.

Pupil Comments

"I like science more now because we got to do fun science experiments and figure most of it out ourselves."

"I like science better now because we got to do lots of fun experiments which could also help you in the future."

"I have seen how important science is and I am quite interested now."

"I like science more now because the topic we have done was really interesting - the best topic I've ever done in science."

"I like science more now because I know how industry works. I never understood factories before and now I have seen how important science is."

Teacher Comments

"Having never taught science in Year 6 and not being a scientific person I found that science is not as scary as I thought. Children can learn so much from putting science into context. I will certainly use these lessons in my own teaching. I found it really useful watching a science expert teach."

"I have never been interested at all in science and industry and never really thought about industry - I found it quite exciting and certainly interesting. I have finally come to an understanding of why some people see industry exciting."

Lynne Hunter, Holy Trinity CE Primary, Seaton Carew

"A great experience for the children. Both the class work and the visit were brilliant. Could not be faulted."

Nick Luke, Corpus Christi Primary, Middlesbrough ( March '05)