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Science Fair 2025

St Gabriel’s College hosted the annual BLC primary schools Science Fair 2025 in March with Yr 5 pupil teams from 6 BLC primary schools participating in this exciting event as culmination of a programme of weekly science activity. Primary pupils worked with the Science Department at St Gabriel’s developing and investigating an area of research, recording their observations and presenting their findings to a judging panel at the Science Fair event. Congratulations to the team from Stockwell Primary awarded 1st place for their presentation investigating ‘Acid or Alkaline’

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Science Fair 2024

Throughout March, teams of Yr 5 pupils have been working with the Science Department and Mr Gulled at St Gabriel’s College to investigate an area of science. Pupils were assisted on a journey of discovery, to consider an investigation question such as: Does temperature affect the rate of dissolving? Does the volume of alcohol effect the temperature of the heat energy produced? Does flavour effect the energy of crisps? Over a number of weeks, pupils experimented, recording their results and put together a presentation to explain their findings. An exciting Science Fair event at the end of spring term brought all the science teams together to present their work to a panel of judges including special guest, Aeronautical Engineer Alexander Popov. The judges were very impressed with all the presentations – pupils demonstrated excellent scientific knowledge and understanding and some terrific presentation skills. Congratulations to Hill Mead Primary school who took the first place award for their demonstration and massive well done to all the teams for some fantastic research and knowledge sharing.

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Early Years CPD at National Gallery

In March, colleagues took part in some fantastic training led by the Education team at the National Gallery. The session involved EYFS staff from Brixton Learning Collaborative, Windmill Cluster and Oval Learning and took place in the gallery spaces with colleagues exploring ways to use pictures to support storytelling and oracy development. Teacher comments:

‘Very inspiring!’
‘I honestly loved this CPD session and am excited to implement some of the tips and tricks for story telling’
‘I found it incredibly useful and inspiring and lovely to have something completely focussed on EYFS’

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Science Leads training with Ogden Trust

At the start of the year BLC science leads came together for a day of training funded and led by the Ogden Trust as part of an ongoing partnership with BLC schools to support the teaching and learning of physics. The focus of the day was Electricity and colleagues learnt some useful new strategies and tips to inspire their pupils to take physics further. They were all provided with a kit of resources for some exciting physics experimentation back in the classroom

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BLC St Gabriel’s Science Fair

This week teams from across our cluster came together to present the work they have been preparing since February, for the St Gabriel’s BLC Science Fair. This is a great annual event which involves year 5 children from our primaries working in the science labs at St Gabriel’s and the teachers from the faculty, supported by year 9 science mentors. It was fantastic to be able to do a lot of these sessions face to face this year, whilst making the most of virtual means of support, through fortnightly googlemeet surgeries where children could discuss their work back in school with a secondary science teacher. The standard was higher than ever on the day, and the judging panel had a very hard job. Congratulations to this year’s winners from Stockwell Primary for their Super Slime entry. All the teams though deserve congratulations for doing some truly excellent work. This event was supported with some funding from Ogden Trust as part of our 4 year partnership. Many thanks to all the staff involved, especially to St Gabriel’s Science Faculty for giving the children this opportunity.

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Science Take Away activities for families, supported by the Ogden Trust

Children in Reception and year 1 from St John’s Angell Town Primary had an opportunity to share their investigative learning in science with their families at half term, as they took home some simple experiments to do at home.
This is an opportunity we have been able to deliver as part of our brilliant science partnership with The Ogden Trust, supporting teaching and learning in Science.
The children were excited about what they learnt, enjoyed taking their experiment materials home in their special Take Away tote bags and brought some lovely learning back into the classroom.
More schools will take part in these opportunities over Easter and in Summer half term.

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BLC Spanish speaking secondary students visit research labs at UCL – cutting edge vaccine work

Just before half term, students from St Gabriel’s College and Evelyn Grace Academy spent a full day in the research laboratories at UCL, working alongside the scientists and research students to learn the work they are doing on producing vaccines to combat major diseases such as cancer.

Many things made this day special: the whole day was conducted and led in Spanish, by Spanish speaking scientists working in London for Spanish speaking students. In addition all the teaching staff were women, to celebrate Women and Girls in Science day.
This opportunity was organised by Dr MJ Martinez-Bravo from UCL and generously supported by the British Society for Immunology.

We aim to give more opportunities to students to learn the opportunities available to them in London, in science.

Thank you to everyone for their support, engagement and enthusiasm for the day.

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Confident Creators at St Saviour’s – sculpture in paper and foil

This week we welcomed artist Laura X Carle to work with children from St Saviour’s, delivering an Art workshop which used Art to support children’s creativity and wellbeing as part of our Summer of Wellbeing. The children made fabulous pieces using just pens, paper, tape and foil. We hope you enjoy these examples of their work.