The School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy has an active schools' and colleges' outreach team who endeavour to promote the study of these three disciplines at Higher Education level.
This is achieved through an extensive programme of events as well as close contact with a network of teachers, from local schools and further afield.
Our regular and ad hoc events, which attract hundreds of participants each year, are tailored to address the needs of both students and teachers. A number of events are designed to directly support aspects of the science curriculum which may be more difficult to teach in school.
Other events, such as the day of lab-based activities called "Formula for the Future", give pupils a flavour of what it would be like to study these subjects at university. Our close links with the Department of Student Recruitment and Outreach make it possible for some activities to be delivered in school or college, to support curriculum enhancement days.
Chemical Analysis Facility (CAF)
The School has much to offer in terms of staff expertise, specialist equipment and well appointed laboratories, which both pupils and teachers can benefit from during visits.
As part of the highly popular Spectroscopy Workshops and Masterclasses, the Department of Chemistry offers AS and A level pupils the opportunity to learn about the state-of-the-art instrumentation in our Chemical Analysis Facility. The Food and Nutritional Sciences Department offers similar tours of their food processing pilot plant on request.
Some activities, such as the Reading ChemLabs, give pupils the opportunity to spend extended periods of time in a laboratory setting, something which schools and colleges cannot often provide due to issues of space and timetabling.
One teacher who attended an extended Aspirin Synthesis practical said, "It has been great to do a large scale practical without time pressures and to use the high quality equipment. The students actually want to know why!"
In addition to the events we offer, the Departments of Chemistry and Food and Nutritional Sciences, with the co-operation of local schools and colleges, operate the Undergraduate Ambassadors Scheme which places final year BSc students into local secondary schools, to support teachers and carry out a dissertation project.