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We are delighted to announce that Harris Garrard Academy has been awarded the Primary Science Quality Mark.

Primary Science Quality Marks have been awarded to 425 nursery, infant, junior, primary, middle, international and special schools this month to celebrate their commitment to excellence in science leadership, teaching and learning. And we are pleased to announce that HGA is one of them!

Primary Science Quality Marks is a comprehensive evidence-based professional development programme that effectively develops science leadership, ensuring teachers have the knowledge, capability and support they need to transform science education and shape future generations.  

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Highlights of our assessment report

Click HERE to download the full report.

• "A wide range of CPD activities are ensuring that the subject leaders are up-to-date with their knowledge of best practice and are then able to share their learning within the school and beyond."
• "With so many professional learning opportunities for teachers this is a real strength of the submission. The impact on teachers is clear and tracking data shows that staff subject knowledge is improving."
• "The provision of a science lab has been super in allowing children to use relevant resources. The outdoor environment is also being well-used."
• "There is a commitment to developing pupils’ science capital through relating science learning to environments that are familiar to the children and through trips that are explicitly planned for."
• "Eco council, outdoor classroom days, science in the news, topical science assemblies, STEM day and newsletters to parents have all played a part in enriching the curriculum."

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The Primary Science Quality Mark is led by the University of Hertfordshire. Since its national launch in 2010, more than 5000 Primary Science Quality Marks (PSQM) have been awarded, creating a solid foundation of quality science education for over 1,000,000 children.  

Helen Sizer, PSQM Co-Director said: ‘By enabling effective science leadership, PSQM is powering the potential of all children to see the relevance and importance of science in their lives, now and in the future.  Schools that have achieved a Primary Science Quality Mark have demonstrated a significant commitment to science leadership, teaching and learning and the profile and quality of science in each accredited school is very high. Science subject leaders, their colleagues, headteachers, children, parents and governors should be very proud.”