The Debate Chamber Physics Summer School is an opportunity for aspirational students to explore some of the most exciting and challenging ideas in contemporary physics. Each course consists of a structured five-day programme covering a selection of interesting and diverse topics, ranging from black holes and time travel to the search for exo-planets and life outside the solar system.

Physics Summer School – Part 1 focuses on Classical Mechanics and Astrophysics with an emphasis on modern applications of Newtonian Mechanics and is open to all students aged 15-18. Topics will include rocket propulsion, spaceship design, planetary colonisation, satellite motion, telescope design, measuring the speed of light, the principle of least time, laws of thermodynamics, entropy, the arrow of time, stellar evolution and detecting the afterglow of the big bang.

Physics Summer School – Part 2 focuses on Quantum Mechanics and Relativity with an emphasis on the mathematical and conceptual foundations of these ideas and requires that students have completed AS Mathematics (or equivalent) at the time of the course. Topics will include Schrödinger’s equation, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, Einstein’s special and general theories of relativity, time dilation, length contraction, black holes, gravitational red-shift, evidence for the big bang and the search for a Grand Unified Theory.

Classes are small, typically containing twelve to fourteen students, all of whom share a passion for physics and a curiosity to build on their existing knowledge and embrace new ideas. Classes will consist of a combination of lectures, group discussions, team exercises and problem sets, creating a comfortable environment for students to share ideas amongst their peers and to progress from their existing knowledge toward more challenging material. An expert Tutor will lead each session in a seminar format, but learning will be largely student-led wherever practical.

Please note that, although both courses complement each other, they may be treated as independent events and there is no requirement to have attended Part 1 in order to attend Part 2. Part 2 of the course will offer a strong mathematical component and an undergraduate approach to learning, helping students to make informed decisions about continuing in the study of physics, as well as bridging the educational gap between secondary school and university.

You can view a full schedule for each course, details of tutors and lots more feedback from last year on our website – www.debatechamber.com. 

Feedback from previous students

‘A really fantastic week, taught by some truly inspirational tutors whose passion for physics really showed in their energetic and engaging sessions. The slightly relaxed atmosphere worked incredibly well because it allowed the students and tutors to discuss in detail anything that we were curious about even if it wasn’t specifically on our timetable. This has made me really look forward to studying physics at university, and I feel the week gave me a great insight into degree level physics. I highly recommend this summer school to other physics enthusiasts!’

‘This was by far the most informative, productive and enjoyable week of my summer holiday. It was an incredibly well balanced and finely tuned course, which not only expanded my knowledge of physics, but my skills in applying it to unfamiliar problems. Chilled atmosphere, tutors approachable and engaging; couldn’t recommend this course more for aspiring physicists.’

‘The course was brilliant; usually complex and abstract topics in Physics were explained to you in the space of five days! The courses built upon the knowledge you had and decided to push you a little extra. They really inspired me to further research more complex topics in Physics in greater detail.’

‘Challenging, but great fun, the Physics course was a fantastic opportunity to gain a better insight into some of the fundamental principles that govern our world, giving me a better idea of what Physics at University might be like. From learning about the rather abstract world of Quantum Mechanics to discussing black holes and even teleportation, the course left me astounded by both the amount we already know, and how much we have yet to discover! I really enjoyed the five days, working with two talented tutors and meeting some other like-minded students. Overall, an incredible week.’

Bursaries

Debate Chamber is committed to ensuring that financial circumstances do not prevent any student from attending our events. Students can apply for bursaries covering up to 100% of the course fee through our website.

How can my students attend?

All the Summer School events will be held at University of London venues in Bloomsbury, Central London, and will take place in July and August 2017. Please note that these courses are not residential, and accommodation must be arranged independently if required.

You can find full details of schedules, dates, costs, student reviews and tutors at www.debatechamber.com/summerschools/physics-summer-school .

To book a place please visit www.debatechamber.com/summerschools/physics-summer-school , call us on 0845 519 4827, or email info@debatechamber.com. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

How to get the support science departments say they want for science week and beyond.

For over a decade, we have asked science teachers what it is they are really looking for in an activity for science week.  We have summarised the findings below – so you can see for yourself how your requirements compare and discover how you can access the best support during science week.

It may come as no surprise to find the most common response was ‘a hands-on activity that introduced something new and exciting to the curriculum for as many pupils as possible but was cost effective’.  Activities that were ‘flexible enough to fit within the overall plan for the school and able to run autonomously’ were also highly valued.  As you may expect, ‘delivery by excellent classroom practitioners’ and ‘leaving students interested enough to take science further’ were also common responses.

A significant number of schools also mentioned they made their final plans and bookings for science week after February half-term and often struggled to find spaces on a suitable activity.

As a result, we have developed and finely-honed events catering for 100-200 students a day that maintain the same high quality as our specialist G&T workshops for smaller groups.  We have also released extra booking slots throughout March at our ‘Science Week Saver’ rate – costing as little as £4 per pupil.

For this price, you can host multiple hour-long sessions in a day for up to 36 pupils at a time – allowing up to 180 pupils to participate within your normal school timings.

You can choose from a range of enrichment activities – including ELISA Testing, Micro Chemistry, Electronic Sensors and Blood Analysis – delivered as team competitions within exciting themes.

Alternatively, you can choose half-day and full-day CSI events for large groups – based on our BTEC Level 3 Forensic Science courses.  These include DNA electrophoresis and blood typing for up to 200 pupils in a day and are available from just £6 per pupil.

We supply all the equipment and our full-time teams of highly experienced teachers/presenters deliver the sessions to maximise student engagement and achievement.

We can even create a league table detailing the scores achieved by every team and turn the whole experience into a schoolwide competition.  You can then announce the winning team in the next assembly and award the medals we can include to celebrate.

Best of all, our workshops have been recommended by every host school since 2001 – so you can be certain of introducing experiences of the highest quality.

For more information, you can visit our website, call us on 01603 520866 or email us at events@thinkersineducation.co.uk.  Please quote promotional code: ‘SWS317’ to access the discounts.

Regards,

Matt Hackett