Empirical Science’s mission is to fill the gap between mainstream science education and industry needs. Schoolchildren, home-educated students and many adults in the Nottingham region have learnt science and modern technology (STEM) mainly through bookwork. The company will provide opportunities for the community to practise science in our laboratories, acquiring a deeper understanding of concepts, and increasing their curiosity and problem solving skills.
Years of educational spending cuts and ever-increasing health and safety concerns have led to the current crisis where nearly all school leavers considering a science profession have little idea of what it is actually like physically to work in a laboratory setting. The creation of 14-19 academies will partly address this lack for engineering but ESE wants to fill this gap for experiment-based science – to ensure that value-added manufacturing sector employers can recruit new talent in the knowledge that they already come equipped with good experience and the practical skills they need to find their way around a laboratory. By promoting practical science and providing opportunities for the community to practise science in our laboratories, we aim to increase the number of skilled, experienced students who are highly-motivated and well-equipped to consider science as a future career.
ESE delivers science education through individual hands-on laboratory study – learning by empirical investigation. This embeds a sound appreciation of science theories alongside practical analytical skills in an active, instead of passive, learning environment. Our specific activities include:
Out-of-school laboratory sessions for students in the Nottingham catchment. We offer individual sessions for the private tuition sector, courses for KS 4/5 transition students, and KS5/university science foundation courses for national and international students for entry into local universities/businesses. Bespoke courses for the Home Education sector and other disadvantaged groups are also planned;
In-house laboratory classes will support local schools in fulfilling and extending their mainstream science teaching, we wll both host local schools and deliver high-quality practical science activities and events in their premises. ESE also provides hands-on-experience CPD to school science teachers.
