Syngenta Community Labs Inspiring Science – Again!

Syngenta in Huddersfield is set to welcome over 200 children from 9 local schools during October to their Community Science Labs <watch it here>.

The Community Science Lab was opened up in 2016 as part of the Company’s centenary celebrations and since then have welcomed more than 500 children and 12 different Kirklees Secondary Schools. Laboratory Supervisor Chris Knight who helped establish the Labs said “Some schools have been quick to adopt the Lab openings into their curriculum and are using the visits as a way to show children how science is brought out of the classroom and put to work in industry.” As part of the visit, students spend time doing experiments in the Lab on filtration and distillation but then also visit a production facility to see how work in the Lab is scaled up for production.

Syngenta Community Relations Manager, Carl Sykes said “We get great feedback from schools who visit and for as long as there is demand, the Syngenta Community Science Labs are here to stay.”  The firm has even laid on coaches for some schools who didn’t have access to their own mini-bus. Mr Sykes said “The Labs give us a way to meet many educational needs and it is just one of the ways we open the door of business to education. So for example, this year we have also invited Kirklees College Students to help coach younger, Secondary School pupils as part of their work experience programme. The whole process is supervised by our Syngenta technical staff.”

Work Placement Manager for Kirklees College, Jude Flatley said “When Syngenta first discussed the idea, we recognised that this would be a great opportunity for our learners to be involved in teaching others, as well as having a first-hand work experience placement of their own. Our students have embraced the opportunity and are excited to be involved.”

The Syngenta Community Science Labs are open in October this year and shall be open again for National Science Week in March 2019. Schools attending on this occasion are Salendine Nook High School, Holmfirth High School, North Huddersfield Trust School, Netherhall High School, Heckmondwike Grammar School, Honley High School, Cambridge Street School, Almondbury Community School and Brian Jackson College. Every secondary school across Kirklees is invited to attend by letter, usually addressed to the Head Teacher or Head of Science.