The Great Science Share at GOSH School

The Children’s Hospital School, based at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and University College Hospital (UCH) has taken part in The Great Science Share, a national campaign that aims to inspire young people to share their scientific questions with a new audience, in their own words and ways, via whatever medium they choose.The Great Science Share provides an opportunity for young people to communicate their scientific investigations in a collaborative way and promote child-centred learning in science. It also supports teachers to dedicate time to allow children to communicate what they know about science, developing what they think science is, and sharing their experiences together.

Many schools who participate will run an event on the day of the Great Science Share and share their scientific questions and answers face to face with a live audience. As the Children’s Hospital School’s pupil base is spread across many different beds, in many different wards, and within two separate hospitals, the GOSH School decided the best way to get involved in the project was to create a video showing off pupils’ work.

Here is the video showing examples of the fantastic science work hospital pupils have produced:

James Hickman, teacher at the Children’s Hospital School, explains: “Real world science is all about collaborating and communicating because, if no one else knows what you did, how you did it or what you found out, people cannot benefit from the understanding you gain from answering your questions.”

“The current curriculum has very little focus on how we communicate our scientific findings. To me, the Great Science Share is a great way to begin to readdress this and allows pupils to take greater control of what they want to investigate and how they want to do it. It also gives them creative freedom in how they share their findings with the wider world.”

The Children’s Hospital School seeks to minimise the interruption and disruption to children and young people’s education so that academic progress and an interest in learning will continue, as far as medical circumstances permit. The school aims to provide personalised, enjoyable and innovative learning opportunities, and make learning an integral part of children and young people’s stay in hospital.

Find out more about the Children’s Hospital School.