493 primary schools get Science & Maths Excellence award


8 Jun 2010

As part of the Discover Primary Science programme Discover Science & Engineering (DSE) has announced that 493 primary schools around Ireland have received an Award of Science and Maths Excellence.

The award acknowledges both primary school students and teachers who have demonstrated both good knowledge and clever application of science and maths in the classroom within the curriculum.

The programme is in its sixth year and has more than 3,000 participating schools with more than 3,700 teachers registered.

“On behalf of Discover Science & Engineering, I would like to congratulate all those students and teachers who took part in the Awards of Science and Maths Excellence on their tremendous work. The Discover Primary Science (DPS) programme has continued its work in fostering an interest in the sciences among students and helping them to acquire skills that will stand to them as they continue their education,” said Peter Brabazon, programme director, Discover Science & Engineering.

“A key element of this was the incorporation of maths into this year’s programme, which reflects our efforts to assist in raising Irish students’ performance in the subject.”

In order to qualify for consideration for the science and maths award, from Discover Primary Science, participating schools had to keep a Discovery Log for the year, recording science-related work carried out in the classroom.

Credits were awarded for completing a certain number of activities from the DPS activity pack and for visiting one of the DPS accredited Discover Science Centres.

Additionally there was an environmentally savvy angle to the programme, as extra credits were given to schools that took part in the Greenwave programme that tracked the arrival of spring across the entire country.

In line with the introduction of maths in this year’s programme, participating schools were asked to give three examples of how they integrate the subject into their science work. Additional credits were awarded for taking part in a number of other DSE programmes, including the Greenwave project, as well as contributing to Science Week, DSE’s annual national week-long promotion of science and engineering.

Photo: Brendan Lucas (11) of St. Laurence O’Tooles CBS Dublin, pictured at Discover Science and Engineering’s 2010 Awards of Science and Maths Excellence.