Teacher FAQs
1. When do Nuffield Science bursary placements take place?
2. I have students interested in taking part in a bursary this Summer. What should I do next?
3. Is each student that applies guaranteed a bursary?
4. How many students from my school/college can take part in the scheme each Summer?
7. Can I visit my students on their placements?
9. What is a Gold CREST award?
1. When do Nuffield Science bursary placements take place?
Bursary placements are normally 4 - 6 weeks in length and take place in the Summer break.
2. I have students interested in taking part in a bursary this Summer. What should I do next?
Firstly, you should contact your local Nuffield Coordinator who will be able to provide you with application forms for your students and some guidance notes about the scheme.
Your students may find it useful to talk to you about the type of project that interests them before completing their application form.
Encourage students to complete an Application Form and then complete part F before submitting the forms to the Nuffield Co-ordinator.
In your reference could you please comment on the student’s:
- motivation and enthusiasm for science and for the area of science, technology or engineering in which they have expressed an interest in finding a project
- ability to make a contribution to the project and how the project could provide particular benefit to the student’s reliability and maturity
- ability to work as part of a team and take instructions
- ability to work on their own and take responsibility and initiative
- particular skills and attributes that make them a suitable candidate for a Nuffield Science Bursary.
Each student will need to complete an application form.
If you have a number of students applying for the scheme, you will only need to provide details about the school/college as well as supporting the students' application on one of the application forms. The personal reference for the student should be completed by the science teacher/lecturer.
You should then submit all of your forms to your local Nuffield Coordinator.
3.Is each student that applies guaranteed a bursary?
As there are a limited number of bursaries for each region and each Nuffield Co-ordinator has to meet a number of targets to ensure balance across the type of school, the types of project and the type of project provider this means that we cannot guarantee to find a project placement for every student who applies even if they have set up their own projects.
4.How many students from my school/college can take part in the scheme each Summer?
Normally up to four student applications are permitted from any one school or college. However, if you are in a large institution contact your Nuffield Co-ordinator as you may be allowed up to six bursary placements.
Please bear in mind that this is a competitive programme, with a limited number of bursaries, and therefore it may not be possible to award all four applicants from your school a place on the programme.
5. Who holds responsibility for students on bursary placements in terms of insurance and health and safety?
The primary responsibility for health and safety rests with the project provider. A separate set of guidance notes is available from your Nuffield Co-ordinator. However, if you are arranging your own projects you should check that the project provider has a copy of these notes and is aware of their responsibility. You should also check that the insurance scheme of the project provider covers the student while they are on their bursary placement. Your school/college/LEA may require you to vet the host organisation for health and safety purposes.
6. I have some reallygood contacts and would like to arrange some bursary placements for my students. Is this possible?
Yes, it should be. Before speaking to your contacts about setting up a placement it is important that you speak to your local Nuffield Coordinator. They will advise you about how the scheme is run in your area and the paperwork that needs to be completed by project providers and your students. Even if you do manage to set up a bursary placement for your students using your own contacts, it is not guaranteed that funding will be provided by the Nuffield Foundation due to the limited number of bursaries that are offered.
7. Can I visit my students on their placements?
If you are interested in visiting your student on their placement please contact your Nuffield Co-ordinator.
8. How do I make the most of students that have taken part in the Nuffield Science Bursary scheme when they return to school?
Bear in mind that students may be able to exploit the knowledge and skills from their bursary when they get back into school. They could have evidence to add to a key skills portfolio, they might have results that could feed into their coursework and they will certainly have something interesting to talk about at an interview.
The students will make a presentation, put on a display or contribute to a seminar at the Nuffield Regional Celebration Event. This might be something that they could repeat in school or college.
Your students could: write an article for the school newsletter or local newspaper; talk to other post-16 students; take part of a lesson linked to their project; talk to the school science club; give a presentation to pupils in KS4, KS3 or a local primary school; or give a presentation to parents during a school open evening.
9. What is a Gold CREST award?
Your students may choose to work towards a Gold CREST (CREativity in Science and Technology) Award while they are on their bursary placements. This is a nationally recognised scheme to reward Science & Technology project work. To achieve a Gold CREST award the student must work on a project for 100 hours at a high level of science. Nuffield Bursary projects easily fulfil the criteria and so students are encouraged to submit their work.
See The British Science Association website for futher details.
Printer-friendly version