Light and Space SEND Friendly Backpacks and Activity Boxes

我们正在申请资金，为有特殊教育需要和残疾的儿童和青年(SEND)的家庭提供参与科学的亲身实践机会。这与STFC Wonder Initiative的目标受众相联系，因为目标用户的年龄范围在8-14岁之间。一项对政府分配学生保费资金的分析显示，牛津郡10/13所特殊学校在2022/23年度符合条件的学生数量高于平均水平。例如，艾夫利学院有47.5%的孩子有资格享受学生保险费，而全国平均水平为20%。我们可以推断，经济困难，再加上普遍缺乏可获得的资源供儿童及其家人使用，意味着许多患有SEND的儿童和青年(特别是那些没有家庭成员从事科学工作的儿童和青年)的“科学资本”往往较低。在评估我们目前的家庭背包时，我们从儿童家庭给出的反馈中确定了对这些资源的需求，他们指出，例如，资源是文本繁重的。我们还从教师那里听到，学生家庭在公共场所参与科学和文化活动的资源有限，其中许多人也因经历科维病大流行而受到特别严重的打击。Ofsted在其2021年6月的报告中强调了这一点，该报告指出，由于气候限制，这一群体在错过和缩小教育经历方面处于特别不利的地位。我们的超常目标是与年轻人合作，发送他们自己(来自Iffley Academy Special School)，创造一系列他们自己和他们的家人可以获得和享受的资源；鼓励儿童/年轻人参与与当代科学空间研究和仪器开发相关的科学概念，并可以在不同的环境中使用，包括科学史博物馆和我们自己以及合作伙伴如al Space的科学推广活动。这些资源将包括：-一组探测器背包，可主要用于博物馆的背景，其中包含与空间仪器有关的光学材料和我们收藏的物体。这些将由家庭使用。-2\f25活动盒-2\f6内装有光学材料，供博物馆和合作伙伴在外展活动中使用，包括中心空间。在公共参与小组的支持下，这些家庭将使用这些服务。-一本简短的小册子，可分发给父母/照顾者/祖父母，让他们在家中尝试科学活动，并将背包/手提箱和小册子中的科学概念与历史和当代科学联系起来。预期结果SEND儿童及其家人将：-以背包/活动箱物品为起点，采用基于游戏的实验方法，探索关键的科学概念。-通过参与精心设计的、易于访问的活动来激发他们的好奇心，并促使他们提出关于这些对象如何工作的问题，从而激发他们了解更多关于科学的知识。-重视能够作为家庭成员相互分享他们的科学理解和技能。拥有支持资源开发的SEND的年轻人也将珍惜被给予一个分享他们的观点和意见的平台，并在塑造家庭科学活动中发挥积极作用。-利用所提供的资源，培养自己开展科学活动的技能。家长也将通过提供的小册子培养信心，尝试在家中进行简单的科学学习。-了解如何在我们周围发现科学，以及如何利用科学为社会寻找利益(例如，在空间探索中)。

We are applying for funding to develop hands-on opportunities for the families of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to engage with science. This ties in with the target audience of the STFC Wonder Initiative, as the age range of the intended users falls within the 8-14 age range. An analysis of government allocation of pupil premium funding, an indicator of economic deprivation, shows that 10/13 Oxfordshire Special schools have a higher than average numbers of eligible pupils in 2022/23. For example, 47.5% of children at Iffley Academy are eligible for pupil premium, compared to the national average of 20%. We might infer that economic hardship, coupled with a general lack of provision of accessible resources for children with SEND and their families, means that many children and young people with SEND (particularly those without a family member working in sciences) often have low 'science capital'. We identified the need for these resources from feedback given by families of children with SEND during the evaluation of our current family backpacks, who pointed out, for example, that resources were text-heavy. We also heard from teachers that there are limited resources for the families of their pupils to engage with science and culture in public settings, many of whom have also been particularly hard hit by their experiences of the Covid pandemic. This was highlighted by OFSTED in their report from June 2021 which noted how this group has been particularly disadvantaged in terms of missed and narrowed educational experiences resulting from Covid restrictions.Our over-reaching aims are to work with young people with SEND themselves (from Iffley Academy Special School) to create a range of resources that are accessible and enjoyable for themselves and their families; encourage children/young people to engage with scientific concepts that are relevant to contemporary scientific space research and instrument development, and can be used in different settings, including the History of Science Museum and science outreach events by ourselves and partners such as RAL Space. The resources will include: -A bank of explorer backpacks, which can be used primarily in the setting of the Museum, containing optical materials relating to space instrumentation and objects in our collection. These would be used by families.-2 activity boxes containing optical materials to be used in outreach events by the Museum and partners, including RAL space. These would be used by families facilitated with support from public engagement teams. -A short booklet which can be given to parents/carers/grandparents with ideas for science activities to try at home and a 'deeper dive' linking science concepts in the backpacks/handling boxes and booklet to historical and contemporary science. Anticipated Outcomes Children with SEND and their families will: -Explore key science concepts for themselves using an experimental, play-based approach, using the backpack/activity box objects as a starting point. -Feel inspired to find out more about science by having access to well-designed, accessible activities that harness curiosity and prompt them to ask questions about how the objects work. -Value being able to share their scientific understanding and skills together with each other as family members. The young people with SEND supporting the development of the resources will also value being given a platform to share their views and opinions and to have an active role in shaping the science activities for families. -Develop skills to carry out scientific activities themselves, using the resources provided. Parents will also develop confidence to try out carrying simple science learning at home through the booklets provided. -Understand how science can be found all around us and how it can be used to find benefits for society (e.g., in space exploration).