Rolls-Royce

Entrant's address and contact details

School name:	West Drayton Primary School
School/college address:	Kingston Lane West Drayton Middlesex Greater London UB7 9EA England

School phone number:	01895 442904
Lead school:	West Drayton Primary School
Partner schools:	Stockley Academy(Specialist Science Academy)
Number of pupils in school(s) - male:	616
Number of pupils in school(s) - female:	671
Number of staff in school(s):	182

Our team leader and our team

Name	Position (e.g. Headteacher, parent, etc.)	Organisation
Miss Rachel Howard	Science Co-ordinator and Class Teacher	West Drayton Primary
Mrs Neena Bedi	Director of Science	Stockley Academy
Dr Alex Roberts	Senior Research Fellow	Institute of Zoology
Mr Ian Long	Programmes Manager	West London Floating Classroom (WLFC)
Mrs Grace Kimble	Education Manager	WLFC
Ms Elaine Stanley	Learning Services Officer	British Waterways

The key skills, strengths and roles of each team member are: (200 words)

Additional key people:
T Davies, Skipper, WLFC
J Ingamells, Centre Manager, Colne Valley Park (CVP)
L Parkes, Education Officer, London Canal Museum (LCM)
R Pollard, Education Officer, CVP
C Wassmer, Marine Biologist/teacher, Stockley Academy.

N Bedi
Highly experienced science co-ordinator, extensive involvement in outstanding projects e.g. BA crest.

T Davies
Royal Navy sonar controller (Gulf). Will give talks and ensure the boat is located such that pupils can collect information.

R Howard
Keen to involve children in exciting projects, won school garden of the year and London Schools Environment Award (3 yrs). Has experience to ensure this project is successful.

J Ingamells
Will host exhibition.

G Kimble
Will facilitate innovative learning by ensuring learning tools allow pupils to make discoveries.

I Long
Accustomed to realising visions within budget. Wide knowledge of waterways surveying systems.

L Parkes
Will host exhibition.

R Pollard
Environmental Engineer, now run aquatic minibeasts sessions. Will be involved in water testing, Swakeleys Lake.

Dr A Rogers
Will communicate research to enthuse pupils e.g. British Antarctic Survey work.

E Stanley
Consultation role - sourcing Environment Agency data for comparison.

C Wassmer
Will communicate own research and support pupils.

Our proposal

Topic area of proposal: Processes and Living Things - Ecology/environment

Briefly, the aim of our proposal is: (50 words)

Pupils from West Drayton Primary and Stockley Academy will investigate the underwater habitats in their area, using cameras, water testing kits, and GPS fish-finders. They will be inspired by professionals with a range of underwater experience, and will undertake their own research in a local context on a boat. Findings will be communicated at both schools, and at an exhibition at the Colne Valley Park and the London Canal Museum. Age range is 3-13.

Pupil type to benefit: All

Age range to benefit from proposal: 3-11

Learning outcomes from our proposal: (50 words)

Appreciation of applied research careers
Planning a real inquiry, sampling and recording habitat biodiversity
Linking environmental evidence to draw conclusions about human impact
Secondary/primary mentoring
Conclusion communication at school presentation and exhibitions (CVP,LCM)

Our reasons for developing this particular proposal: (100 words)

After last year's visit to WLFC (www.elsdale.co.uk) children from West Drayton were so enthusiastic about wildlife they observed. This year we would like pupils to investigate what lives in canal waters, and consider pollution issues. The canal is central to local historical development and we hope to raise its value in children's eyes.

Stockley Academy has recently started to work with WLFC. This project will set the scene for inspiration by allowing pupils to meet scientists, investigate the environment, mentor and communicate. This will be the vehicle for children, staff and parents to collaborate in a transition project and give a real purpose and audiences for novel research.

Detailed description of our proposal: (300 words)

Pupils at both schools will meet the following professional underwater researchers:

Dr Alex Rogers, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Zoology
Mr Trevor Davies, former Naval Officer and Sonar Operator
Claire Wassmer, Marine Biologist and Secondary Teacher, Stockley Academy.

It will also be beneficial for pupils to see their science teacher as a research scientist.

Focussing on the Grand Union Canal, pupils will then have the chance to gather their own data on two-hour boat trips.

The methods used to gather data are as follows:

Net sampling and digital microscopy
Underwater photography
Using a GPS fish finder
Water chemical testing
Pollution surveys

Year 7s from Stockley Academy will be the first to be shown how to use the equipment. Some Year 7s will then support Year 6 from West Drayton. Year 7s will also compare Stockley Lake as a habitat at a later date, supported by Richard Pollard. They will record their findings as follows:

Drawing from direct observation using microscopes
Photography
Tally charts
GPS recording using our handheld computers.

They will prepare their findings for presentation by making graphs, charts, booklets, diaries and videos of their experiences, as well as preparing a Powerpoint presentation. After presenting the experience to parents, the visual materials will go towards making an exhibition for the Colne Valley Park and the Canal Museum.

Putting our proposal into practice

Outline of how our team would implement our proposal over a period of not more than 24 weeks: (300 words, bulleted lists accepted)

Week 1

GK, RH, NB, CW
Assembly visit to set up curiosity: What's living in the water of the canal? How could we find out?
Staff Meeting to introduce the project to staff teams.

Week 2

AR, CW, TD
Meet the Scientists (school).

Week 3

NB, CW, TD,IL, GK, ES
Year 7 Stockley Academy Sessions on board the boat.
Using underwater cameras, water quality testers, GPS fish-finders, handheld computers with bespoke Wildkey technology (identification of wildlife)and rubbish surveys in groups.
Samples of creatures living under the water will be gathered using nets, identified and record using digital microscopes. Sessions are two hours per class, as in normal boat operation. Samples will be taken at positions corresponding to historic canal docks.

Week 4

RH,GK,IL,TD,ES
West Drayton Boat trips.
Primary pupils will learn how to use equipment from older mentors. Activities will be differentiated to match age.

Week 5

RH,GK,IL,TD,ES
As above (the whole school is visiting, as last year).

Week 6

RH, GK, IL, TD
Initial presentation on board the boat to West Drayton parents.
Images added to online gallery on both school websites.
Summer holidays

Week 12

Nothing for pupils - classes settling in!
GK, TD - boat and equipment maintenance.

Week 13 (secondary)

RP, NB, CW
Year 7/8 visit Swakeleys Lake to take samples of dissolved gas composition, clarity and biodiversity.

Week 13 (primary)

RH, GK, IL, TD
West Drayton older year groups re-visit boat to repeat sampling.

Week 14

RH, NB, CW, ES, GK
Interpretation of data in school.

Week 15

RH, NB, CW
Communication of data.
Rehearsals in school.

Week 16

RH, NB, GK, others where possible
Presentation and exhibition at West Drayton.

Week 18

RH, NB, GK, others where possible
Presentation and exhibition at Stockley Academy.

Week 20

RH, NB, JI, IL, RP
Exhibition at Colne Valley Park.

Week 24

RH, NB, LP, ES, GK
Exhibition starts at Canal Museum.
Extension - pupils will make photographic items to sell on board the boat to increase their economic awareness and entrepreneurship skills.

Monitoring and evaluation

The monitoring procedures we will use during the project are: (200 words, bulleted lists accepted)

Preparation - precise timetabling and agreement by team
Supply cover arranged where necessary
Weekly communication in run-up to event to ensure issues addressed should they arise
Focus group from school council
Pupil mind maps to show developing understanding
Debrief after sessions using evaluation proforma and discussion
Senior Management Team support if extra time needed by staff
Evaluation of technology - if necessary ongoing improvements to ensure children can obtain results

The evaluation procedures we will use at the end of the 25 weeks to check the effectiveness of our project are: (200 words, bulleted lists accepted)

Pupil and staff evaluation of sessions using personal reflection template proforma throughout to ensure steps can be taken to provide high quality experiences
Quizzes including practicals to check pupil understanding of key research skills
Observation of pupils' confidence in approaching and completing practical tasks, and drawing conclusions
Parents' feedback at presentation
Pupils will record overall experiences by production of a diary booklets summarising the experience
Exhibition and visitor evaluation forms, visitor book
Focus group in-depth interviews

Budget

Itemised costs of putting your proposal into practice within a maximum budget of £5,000 or equivalent in Euros: