Event reports

Schools Liaison - recent event reports

Particle Physics outreach continues to expand...

Please note that all the links below are to PDF files; they will open in a new window.

Masterclass events and cascade competitions to spread the word

Activities/Challenge Days

In June every year since 2007, we have organised an Activities/Challenge Day for teams of AS students in Midlands schools & colleges. Over 300 students have attended to date, from more than 30 different schools.

Annual poster competition

Since 2003 we have been running an annual poster competition for Y9 students in the West Midlands, and the standard of entries is always impressive!

Read reports and see pictures for -

Residential Teachers' conferences

At the start of the Autumn term, every two or three years, Residential Teachers' conferences are held at the University - an opportunity to update subject knowledge, look at new ways to enthuse students in the classroom and exchange ideas with colleagues in Physics departments across the country.

Summer Schools for AS Physics students

Since 2004 residential Summer Schools for AS Physics students have taken place in the School of Physics & Astronomy. The Summer Schools have proved a great success and much enjoyed by the 260 students who have taken part so far. See:

Next year's Summer School will take place on 10th - 11th July 2013, following a similar programme.

You can download an application form for the 2013 Summer School here.

Rocket Day

Since 2004, "Rocket Day" has become an annual event, kindly hosted by West Midlands schools - an event for Year 7 students organised through the local IOP teacher network.

Over 300 students from different schools in Birmingham, Solihull, Coventry, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Walsall, Dudley and Wolverhampton have now taken part.

The days are lead by Jeff McQuone with help from technical staff from The School of Physics & Astronomy and teaching staff at schools.

Good days are had by all....... and maybe a little Physics is learnt too!

All students receive ROCKETEERS certificates. Prizes are awarded for winning rockets and winning teams, including family tickets to the THINKTANK and to the SPACE CENTRE at Leicester, kindly donated by the institutions concerned.

Here is a typical Rocket Day programme and photos from Rocket Day 2004, Rocket Day 2005, Rocket Day 2007 and Rocket Day 2008.

Ideas Day

Since 2006, "An Ideas Day for Teachers and Technicians" has been organised in the School of Physics & Astronomy at the end of the Summer Term - another IOP Teacher Network event.

So far 111 teachers & technicians from over 60 different schools in the West Midlands have taken part in the event, which has included workshops in which delegates have built a piece of equipment to take back and use in school - including a compressed air rocket launcher and a Rubens tube.

Some comments on the day:

Our technicians have come back (to school) enthused and we teachers are like children again! Many thanks.

Just a line to say thanks for the day. I enjoyed it all...

Made my rocket launcher. Had enough tools etc. Now have two rockets on the roof. Cheers!

Very well run event

Good knowledge from all the staff

Well run workshops

Nice to be able to take things away with us

A great day again - and the lunch was very good. Thanks!

The BIG QUIZ

THE PHYSICS BIG QUIZ for Year 9 pupils has taken place every year since 2005 and is now a popular and established event on campus. Over 1600 Year 9 students from schools in the West Midlands area have now enjoyed this event.