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Home , Ardingly College, Benenden School, Bohunt School, Bryanston School, Camborne Grammar School, Camden School for Girls

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The Institute for Research in is a registered charity in , no. 1164654

researchinschools.org OUR PEOPLE OUR VISION

Executive team

Becky Parker MBE, Mike Grocott, Director Visiting Professor, of Physics and Head of Student Development Astronomy, Queen Mary, of London, Physics Dr Lizzie Rushton, teacher, Tapton School, Sheffeld. Honorary Fellow of Director of Evaluation; the Institute of Physics, awarded the Kavli Education Safeguarding Officer Medal from the Royal Society in 2016. Laura Thomas, Steve Greenwood, Director of Education Chief Executive Prior to joining IRIS Steve held positions Clare Turnbull, as UK Managing Director for a major US corporate and Research Associate CEO for the UK with a Franco-German global outsourcer, as well as being the Chair of Governors for Laura Tyzack,

a . Head of Administration and oject pr Compliance; Date Protection

Officer d High School, or xf o: O Trustees t Pho Genome Decoder Humphrey Battcock (Chair) Member of University Ann Mroz Campaign Board, Director of Editor and Digital Publishing Editor of Cambridge Innovation Capital, Panel Educational Supplement School students, teachers and technicians should have member of the Competition and Market Authority the opportunity to become valued and contributing members of the scientific community.

Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow Professor Steven Rose Current President of the Royal Professor of Plasma Physics, Imperial About The Institute for Research in Schools Our aims Society of Biology; formerly Vice , University of Chancellor, University of We make cutting-edge research further resource materials and To give schools students projects open to school students through our website and team. opportunities to participate and their teachers. We do this by in cutting-edge challenges giving teachers and their The yearly cycle culminates in in Science Technology Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz Dr Jo Foster students access to data, students presenting a paper or Engineering and Current Chair of Cancer Research UK; Vice Principal Director of Nexus and providing providing support and poster at one of our regional Mathematics. formerly Vice Chancellor, University School of Maths and guidance to teachers and student research conferences of Cambridge Science resources, and by lending out across the country. To provide teachers and scientific research equipment. technicians with the support Tim Edwards With this approach, the they need to contribute Chair of Storm Therapeutics Ltd, Through IRIS, students and science community can to, and mentor, science Cambridge; Chair of Karus teachers build confidence in become one where schools, research with their students. Therapeutics, Oxford; Director, handling data and equipment , and Record PLC; Governor (former Chair) and working in collaboration research institutes To promote and facilitate of Magdalen College School, Oxford. with an external partner. We collaborate for the greater sustained science Previously, Governing Board make data available, and we benefit of all. collaborations between member of InnovateUK. provide support via webinars, schools and universities.

02 IMPACT REPORT IMPACT REPORT 03 Our first three years: Number of 250 partner 200 beyond expectations MAR. 2018 schools: 150 IRIS students attended what we achieved 100 a collaboration meeting against original at CERN that estimates 50 SEPT. showcased research using Medipix chips in 0 2017 PROJECTED space. IRIS’ LUCID and Launch of the Timpix projects have July 16 July 17 July 18 July 19 July 20 ACTUAL Jan. 17 Jan. 18 Jan. 19 Jan. 20 Jan. 21 Genome Decoders Apr. 16 Apr. 17 Apr. 18 Apr. 19 Apr. 20 access to the largest Sept. 16 Sept. 17 Sept. 18 Sept. 19 Sept. 20 project at the dataset from the MAR. Wellcome Genome Medipix chips. MAR. 2017 Campus, Cambridge. 2016 Amazing The event was IRIS’ new project, MELT Our formal Atmospheres featured on BBC (Monitoring the launch at The project launch at Radio 4’s World at Environment, Learning Science the Eden Project, One programme. for Tomorrow) is Museum Cornwall launched. THE NEXT

Higgs Hunters IRIS’ office relocated CERN@School three years launch, Royal to the Wellcome symposium was held at Society Edinburgh Wolfson Building, the Rutherford with Peter Higgs Science Museum Appleton Laboratory. Campus, London. 200 students from 18 This move enables schools presented their SEPT. IRIS to have a work. 2016 presence in London. The Authentic Biology APR. Symposium was hosted Priorities for 2019 - 2021 2017 at Wellcome, with over 150 students from 15 ź Evaluate the impact of the hub-model vs schools not ź Build on the hub-model to create optimal ways of schools. currently in IRIS hubs in areas including: effective supporting schools to participate in further new projects school support systems, levels of student and teacher and the creation of local school communities. NOV. participation, number of projects, continuation in to ź Identify further opportunities for new authentic research 2017 STEM subjects and careers, teacher retention. projects for completion by students to supplement the ź Develop the 'teacher-scientist' concept through existing portfolio. collaboration with the (science) education community ź Provide advice and guidance to universities and research e.g. keynote conference presentations and academic institutes on how to set successful and sustainable papers. research collaborations with schools. This will be ź Develop our conference provision beyond the annual achieved through the publication of a toolkit. This will single-disciplinary symposia to a programme of multi- contain a summary of the IRIS approach and resources disciplinary, regional conferences. This change will that can be used when setting up and evaluating a THE JOURNEY SO FAR: 2016 - 2019 increase the numbers of students able to present. research project.

04 IMPACT REPORT IMPACT REPORT 05 2017-18: how we performed

Our ambition What we achieved

The number of schools wanting to take part, and actively To recruit a further 30 school undertaking research, has surpassed the target for year 5, partners. with 154 enrolling by the end of March 2018.

To develop our conference provision for students beyond Building on the success of our CERN@School and Authentic the annual single disciplinary Biology symposia we now have 5 multi-project conferences symposia, to a programme of scheduled for Summer 2019 in venues ranging from multi-disciplinary regional Edinburgh to Exeter via York, London and Cambridge. conferences.

To develop the ‘teacher- Through participation in research projects, teachers create scientist’ concept through complex professional networks and develop a multifaceted wider academic collaboration sense of professional identity. Teachers identify as both with the (science) education science teachers and scientists and this is encapsulated as community. a transition in professional identity to ‘teacher scientist’.

After initial seed-funding for a pilot from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 to enable us to To raise funds for four ‘hubs’, establish a hub in Sheffield, with support from Garfield and to submit applications for Weston we have opened hubs on the South Coast and in continued funding for 2019- Stirling. Sustainability is key and we continue to look for 2020. funding opportunities to enable us to continue these hubs beyond the initial period.

We have now created projects that cover physics, biology, To develop eight projects. chemistry and environmental science that also build mathematical and computer science skills.

The framework has been developed and we are focused on To evaluate the impact of the an evaluation model to establish the impact of hubs on hub-model, versus lone IRIS teachers and students versus schools not in a hub, or school. working on IRIS projects. ‘Not only will schools and universities benefit, but science itself will benefit’

Photo credit: Genome Research Ltd Lord Martin Rees – launch of IRIS 2016

06 IMPACT REPORT OUR projects ‘We’re building missions for the next generation of scientists - whether they are students still in school or students who Research opportunities: the day-to-day work of IRIS. This is real science, where the answer is not in the back of the text book. are doing their university degrees.’

Prof. Gillian Wright

MONITORING THE ENVIRONMENT GENOME LEARNING DECODERS FOR TOMORROW CERN@school TIMPIX

Through systematic evaluation, we have Engages A-level science Offers students the chance Highly sensitive radiation The Medipix technology that students with the topics of to engage with, and begin to and particle detectors which is part of the CERN@school refined our criteria for Neglected Tropical Diseases tackle, climate change. make invisible ionising project is on board the what makes a and Bioinformatics, through radiation visible are International Space Station. successful project. the curation of gene For the Earth Observation available on loan to schools. structures in the human element of the project, Our partners at the In brief: whipworm (Trichuris students analyse changes in This technology from the University of Houston have trichiura) genome. the polar regions, and share Medipix collaboration was made this data available to findings with scientists at first developed for particle IRIS schools for analysis. ź Opportunities for To date, the project has the Centre for Polar detection at CERN and now experiments attracted more than 1,000 Observation and Modelling has wide application in students from 52 schools through using GIS software. medical imaging fields and ź Scope for analysis of across the UK, who are for radiation monitoring on working alongside scientists MELT also challenges the International Space data to identify all 15,000 genes schools to calculate their Station. in the human whipworm carbon footprint using a ź Collaboration with a genome. bespoke carbon calculator. respected partner

ź Impact on science.

IRIS is proud to work with schools of ‘The students are becoming the world experts on these genes, all types and students registered to contexts, with a and are contributing directly to our understanding of a 1687 broad range of major global pathogen’. take part in Genome levels of Decoders performance, Dr Julian Rayner, Director, Communicating Science at the Wellcome Genome Campus providing unique opportunities for all.

08 IMPACT REPORT IMPACT REPORT 09 OUR projects continued...

HIGGS WELL IONIC COSMIC HUNTERS WORLD LIQUIDS MINING

Analysing data from the Explores the impact of Developed with Dr Robert Students are collaborating ATLAS experiment at the spending time in biodiverse Palgrave at University with the UK Astronomy Large Hadron Collider at environments on the College London, this project Technology Centre to CERN. physical and mental allows students to design, identify potential targets for wellbeing of students. synthesise and investigate the James Webb Space Students presented their their own ionic liquids. Telescope. findings at a Higgs This project has the conference at Merton potential to cover a wide By forming relationships They are analysing spectral College and the proceedings range of disciplines from with local universities for the data of stars from the are to be published. This Psychology to spectroscopy analysis, Spitzer Space Telescope and project not only gave Environmental Science. students are also gaining an in doing so are helping to students the experience of insight into studying build a database which will real science, but also the chemistry at university and be of great use to the opportunity to engage with the career opportunities scientific community. working scientists and open to them. researchers.

We’re getting so much more value out of this data, In the year to end of March 2018 IRIS thanks to and creative ways in which these staff saw 4000+ students and students are thinking about it. It’s just fantastic.’ 1000+ teachers at over 170 different Professor Alan Barr - on the Higgs Hunters project activities.

10 IMPACT REPORT IMPACT REPORT 11 Students’ perspectives

Many students have given us their thoughts on what being involved in an IRIS project has done What got me involved? It all very overwhelming. But the it can be a reality. And, now I practical work really helped me have spoken to scientists, I am for them. Here is feedback from two. was the thought of understand the key terms. For readier to share what I think, to contributing to something instance, ‘exon’ doesn’t really be more confident. I am sure in the real world. mean much when you hear the that this will help me in the word, but when you see all the future. Being able to say that I Up until the Genome De-coders exons and introns on the screen have done this and have sent project we had been learning, you understand it that bit more. something out to loads of but not applying our knowledge. The research makes something people that people are going to This changed with Genome De- that is invisible to you, visible on work from, this is hugely coders. the screen. inspiring for me as I go into Year 11. To begin with, I didn’t really This project has given me an understand much: just basic idea of what it might mean to Maria Sellars, Year 10 stuff about genes and DNA. be a scientist, which has made Joyce Frankland Because we hadn’t got to that my dream of becoming a Newport, stage in the syllabus. So, it was zoologist seem much more like

I could see the the Genome someone has a problem, I can Our exams are about putting De-coders project was usually help them. answers in boxes and getting literally frontline research, the answer to a very narrow I can absolutely say that this has specification version of ‘right’. brand new stuff. helped my education, because But this research has given me with the A-level syllabus, when an understanding of how real- It was the opportunity that I we got to the genetics topics, I world science is not like this. couldn’t pass up. So I had already sort of knew so much of That is so valuable. already signed up by the time I it. Triplets, codons, anti-codons got home and told my mum. and amino acids… I knew about I have a sense that I am kind of these things already. a professional now. This has Whatever the outcome of the been a huge stepping stone for genome research is, whether ... given me an me. As to the future, I might do there is a cure developed or not, a PGCE after a degree in I will have contributed to the understanding of real Bioinformatics or go into research journey of this disease. science. research and become a data scientist, or do both! Also, so far in education, So, when my teacher is teaching teachers have been teaching me about exons to the class, I can Laurence Pleuger, Year 12 ‘It has made my dream of becoming a zoologist seem much more like information and I have been say, well why don’t I just show Bedford School learning it, but now I am at the you a real gene? I can just pop it it can become a reality.’ front. I am teaching my teacher up on the screen. I can find a how to do it; I am the pioneer in random gene and talk you the school; I am the expert. If through it.

12 IMPACT REPORT IMPACT REPORT 13 Is the IRIS model effective? And experience – evaluation that what in particular are the includes individual benefits? Evaluating the impact perspectives wherever of IRIS is an essential part of the possible and encourages process. individual students to contribute to evaluation To date, we have focused on papers submitted to peer- performance in four key areas: reviewed journals

ź Student attainment 3ź ) A co-creative approach to ź Student destinations evaluation, i.e. evaluation that ź The experience of STEM is designed, implemented, teachers analysed and communicated ź The efficiency of the hub by participants, includingat model, i.e. cluster of IRIS conferences and in peer- schools. reviewed journal articles

tion Five distinctive features of IRIS’ ź4) Evaluation to celebrate the approach to evaluation have experiences and perspectives

a emerged over year 2017-2018: of participants through focus groups, case studies and 1ź ) 360° and longitudinal interviews approach to evaluation – evaluation that includes as ź Evaluation as an opportunity many perspectives as possible 5) to develop knowledge and over a long period of time understanding beyond establishing the efficacy of an 2ź ) Evaluation that recognises individual project. The teacher-scientist alu and values the individual

‘When we present science to step up for them. I too feel It’s also been so important for our students as ready-made, it’s more confident now, having me to learn to give the students unrealistic. It also puts them off talked to other teachers about the freedom to work things out because they feel it’s all been how to manage the groups and for themselves. I have been Ev done before. But there is having seen what kind of amazed at how much the A level Biology students actually so much that we are research projects the students students can do when you sit progressed three times faster exploring and discovering. come up with. back and let them. than those who did not Giving students an opportunity ... a better understanding of the participate. to be part of this is, for me, the I’ve got back in touch with We have not yet found the Baby wider topic of genetics than biggest driver in being involved real research. Higgs, but this in itself is a with IRIS. valuable lesson. The students those who had not participated. are learning that real science is The whole process has given the ... participation in IRIS projects At first, I was nervous about about multiple failures and students the confidence to talk has a positive impact on the signing up. I do not have a perseverance, as well as about Physics beyond the research background and I was moments of discovery.’ numbers of students continuing textbook. And for me, as a new to the school. But I need to study STEM subjects post-18. teacher, it’s meant that I’ve got Teachers involved develop not have worried; Becky Parker Fern Goldsmith back in touch with real research complex professional networks and Steve Greenwood were Physics Teacher and what‘s going on. It’s been that have a positive impact upon always on hand. I really felt like inspirational. they had my back. their sense of professional worth and self-belief. ... give the students the Soon after getting going, our team spoke at the CERN@ freedom to work things out schools conference. It was a big for themselves.

14 IMPACT REPORT IMPACT REPORT 15 Finances Cost-effective, Unrestricted Restricted Total Total funds funds funds funds Income from: 2018 (£) 2018 (£) 2018 (£) 2017 (£) scale-able Donations and legacies 450,000 105,373 555,373 607,060 Charitable activities - - - 10,253 IRIS supplements the work of its team of seven Other trading activities 3,509 - 3,509 - full-time employees by calling on the skills and Investments 32 - 32 178 services of a wider group of trusted specialists.

Total income 453,541 105,373 558,914 617,491 Skills and activities we outsource: IT services Expediture on: Accounts Raising funds 624 - 624 15,395 HR support Charitable activities 409,494 52,418 511,877 511,877 Graphic design System support Total expenditure 410,118 52,418 527,272 527,272 Couriers Web design Net Income before other recognised PR and Marketing gains and losses 43,423 52,955 90,219 90,219 Payroll Net movement in funds 43,423 52,955 90,219 90,219 Video-production

Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward 66,848 23,371 - -

Total funds carried forward 110,271 186,597 90,219 90,219

HOW WE SPEND OUR FUNDS ‘We only pay for what we need.’ Operational Support Costs Steve Greenwood, Chief Executive 11%

IRIS keeps core costs to an Office absolute minimum, channelling Administration & Overhead as much as possible to the delivery of projects and 11% supporting schools. Overheads are kept low by virtue of there Student Conferences being a geographically diverse team, all working from home, 3% and meeting occasionally in person, but maximising the use of technology to avoid travel time and cost. This also places the team closer to our school School Support 75% researchers.

16 IMPACT REPORT OUR partner schools

Abbey College Cambridge Dartford Science and Technology Mark Rutherford School St. Aidan's High The Coopers' Company and Coborn Acknowledging the generosity College Marymount International School School School of those who have supported Alexandra Park School Devonport High School For Boys London St Albans High School for Girls The Edinburgh Academy IRIS, financially: All Hallows Didcot Girls' School Merchiston Castle School St Andrew's CE High School for Boys The Forest School Humphrey Battcock Alleyn's School Drummond Community High School MidKent College St Brendan's College Godolphin and Latymer School Science and Technology Facilities for Dubai College St David's RC High School The Harvey Grammar School Council Girls St Dunstan's College King's Leadership Academy UK Space Agency Altrincham Grammar School for Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi Nether Green St Edmund's College & Prep School Hawthornes Wellcome Trust Boys East London Science School St Francis School Garfield Weston Foundation Anderson High School Eastbury Community School Neham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre St George's School for Girls The Independent Schools Royal Commission for the Anns Grove Primary School Educon International School North Lancing Primary School St Helen & St Katharine Foundation Academy Exhibition of 1851 College Ernulf Academy St James Schools The Littlehampton Academy ERA Foundation (Electrical Ardrossan Academy Esher College St Catholic High School The Mount School York Research Association) Ashlawn School The Folkestone School for Girls Oakhill School St Lawrence College The Perse School CERN Medipix Collaboration Asker videregående skole Forge Valley Our Lady's Abingdon St Leonards, St Andrews, Fife The Portsmouth Grammar School NASA radiation analysis Bancroft's School Forres Academy Oxford High School St Mary's Catholic High School The Thomas Alleyne Academy Institute of Experimental and Bathgate Academy Fulneck School Oxted School St Mary's School Thomas Gainsborough School Applied Physics Czech Technical Bede's Senior School Gillotts School Parkside St. Olave's Grammar School University in Prague Bedford Girls' School Gimnasio La Montaña St Philip Howard Catholic School Institute of Physics Bedford School Graveney School St Thomas of School Tor Bridge High Centre for Polar Observation and The Bedford Sixth Form Greig City Academy High School for Girls St. Wilfred's Catholic High School Urmston Grammar School Monitoring (CPOM) Bellerbys College Cambridge The Haberdasher's Aske's Boys' Plymouth Public Schools Stedelijke Humaniora Dilsen UTC@Harbourside School School Pocklington School Stephen Perse Foundation Verulam School ... and through pro bono work: Berkhamsted School Hallam Primary Queen Elizabeth's Hospital Bristol Stewarton Academy Wales High School The British Science Association Bishop Wordsworth's School Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School Stirling High School Wallington High School for Girls The European Bio-informatic High Pavement Sixth Form Queen Mary's College Strathaven Academy Watford Grammar School For Boys Institute Boroughbridge High School Hockerill Anglo-European College Queen Mary's Grammar School Stretford Grammar School Wellington College Salesforce.com Brentwood High School and and Sixth Form Queen Victoria School West London The Science Museum Group Community College Centre Queensbridge School Tapton School Westways Primary School Weils (legal advice) Brighton College Inverurie Academy Alun School William Farr School Bromley High School Redborne and The Archbishop's School Canterbury William Perkin CofE High School Wormbase School Newport Community College The Bushey Academy Wimbledon High School Callington Community College Senior School Pembury Redmaids' High School Winstanley College Cambourne Science and King Edward VI Grammar School Reepham High School The Community School of International Academy King's High Ribston Hall High School Auchterarder The Camden School for Girls Kingsthorpe College Richard Taylor Primary School King's College School Wimbledon Cardinal Newman Catholic School Kirkwall Grammar School Riverside Primary School Chatham & Claredon Grammar Kongsbakken videregående skole Royal Hospital School School The Ladies' College Guernsey Royal Masonic School for Girls Chaucer School Lady Eleanor Holles High School Cheltenham College Chipping Campden School Lampton School Ryedale School > 200 schools now involved. City and Islington College Larbert High School Sackville School Claremonth High School Academy Leasowes High School Sandwick Junior High School Liberton High School School Sagrada Família - Gavà Lismore Sidney Stringer Academy 5% of UK state secondary schools. Colchester County High School for Liverpool Life Sciences UTC Simon Langton Girls' Grammar ts

Girls Loreto Grammar School School a Coleg Cymunedol Y Dderwen Loughborough Grammar School Simon Langton Grammar School for Colegio Anglo Colombiano Loughborough High School Boys 70% of our partner schools are state-maintained. st

Concord College Madras College Sir Robert Woodard Academy Corbridge Mallaig High School Sir William Borlase's Grammar Cotham School Malvern College School County Upper Maricourt Catholic High School Southey Green Primary School 70% of our most active schools are non-selective Key

18 IMPACT REPORT IMPACT REPORT 19