Specialist Status

The award of Specialist School Status in Science (2003) and re-designation in 2007 has impacted significantly on the ethos and development of our school:

The Science Faculty has been a lead department in developing and spreading practices which motivate and engage students in their learning. This reflects the cross-curricular approach to managing the impact of Specialist School designation.

Specialist school subjects have been at the forefront of raising aspirations and developing an ethos of striving to achieve one’s best - by participating in international, national and local competitions, including for example, the Royal Society of Chemistry Top of the Bench Competition, World Class tests, and University Maths challenges.

Specialist status has helped us to develop our curriculum, to refine teaching and learning, and to improve facilities - in the majority of departments as well as in our feeder schools.

We have developed close links with the middle schools in the specialist subject areas, resulting in annually good performance at Key Stage 3.

We have established strong links with the local and wider community, through our Specialist School Development Plan. This has fostered effective industry links with local businesses and broadened what we offer to the local community (e.g. regular community science lectures).

Stem Clubs:
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) clubs allow children to explore, investigate and discover STEM subjects in a stimulating learning environment, away from the constraints of the school timetable or a prescribed curriculum. They allow pupils and their club leaders to work together and explore many different ideas and activities.

Although they complement the curriculum, they are not designed to be about writing, tests, or exams. Activities may involve practical experiments, investigation, discussion and reflection. Most of all, they should be fun.

They can motivate and build confidence in young people who struggle with STEM subjects, and provide an extra outlet for children who already show aptitude and are interested in furthering their learning.

The aims of STEM clubs are:

To enrich, enhance and extend the Key Stage 3 curriculum.
Improve attainment in, interactions with, and experiences of, the STEM subjects among pupils.
Improve collaboration between schools and also between schools and industry.
Encourage pupils to continue their education in STEM beyond GCSE and Diploma level.

It is the Government's ambition to establish a STEM Club in every school or college in the country and STEMNET is managing this project, with a number of partners, on behalf of DCSF.
STEM Website

Below are links to science related projects that have happened at Shelley College:

National Science Week 2010
Kitchen Sink Science
Darwin Diaries
STEM: The ABLE Project: Aquaponics
Virgin Mission Galactic