Newsletters

Science in the News

These four words will send shivers down the spines of longstanding teachers and for some of you with older siblings and relatives it will bring back memories. In times past, students were required to complete coursework in science, studying an aspect of each of the three subjects that was often somewhat dry and formulaic. What a difference that would be currently – it would be hard to avoid science in the news these days given the pandemic! Whilst the global situation has caused unprecedented upheaval and changes to daily life, it is also true that it has sparked a debate and interest in science that goes well beyond the classroom. Parents and adults who thought their days of grappling with understanding viruses in GCSE Biology were long behind them will have had their memory banks stirred. The importance of terminology and how it is deployed to communicate ideas and concepts to the wider public has been put under the microscope more intensely than ever.

March is often a time to enjoy and celebrate science with our participation in Science Week. Normally, we would be inviting you in to see some of our tricks and demonstrations, such as screaming jelly babies, whoosh bottles and others. Whilst we have not been able to get all our toys out of the cupboard this year we look forward to being able to share the joyful side of practical demonstrations that elevate and lift the study of these areas again before too long. You get to see dissections, build circuits and titrate chemicals at various stages of your school career but it is often the teachers showing their passion beyond the basics that really engages students in further study. We are fortunate at Rugby High School that whilst Science Week brings an additional focus to our subject we actually get to frequently enjoy working with the various investigations and laboratory work throughout the courses with each year group. Every week can be Science Week! (Other subjects are available, please see your teachers for details…)

But science has never been more in the news than in recent times. Whilst we do not have to battle our way through coursework in the way that we used to, those critical thinking skills, analysing the various pronouncements from the government and their medical officers, are just as important as ever. Stay keen, stay interested and above all keep yourself well-informed.

Best wishes,
Tom Koe
Head of Biology