Interview with Claire Welsh - Primary Schools Programme Manager

BS. What about the role of Techniquest in within the educational community in Wales?

CW Right. Well we have, I mean in terms of teacher training I mean we, we would have - oh let's think, I think it's getting on for about 300 teachers coming on day courses here during a year. And that, I mean that if you look at for instance - Cardiff - if you look at their sort of the training they have for teachers I think about a third of the courses are actually offered by us. So, you know we're a substantial element of what, of what goes on - in, in terms of that.

And I think people use it in different ways. I mean I know we have, we have open evenings every so often for teachers. And I've had teachers who are, maybe, mentoring, you know a newly qualified teacher and they're bringing them along and they see this is part of, you know, an important part of them starting in off in teaching, that they - that they know about Techniquest and what goes on and. You know, I thought that's, that kind of thing shows that you're, you know people think it's significant. We have a lot of, people doing teacher training. Nearly all the, teacher training colleges in this sort of area, they'll bring their students down, they'll go to shows, they'll have a talk about the kinds of things that we offer. So, again, you know, it's sort of, getting in as, as early as possible in peoples' careers as we can really to let them know what's going on.

We do get, I mean like, for instance -there was math, there's Math Cyrmu going on at the moment, and there was Math Year 2000 a couple of years ago - where the coordinators are based here - the Science Year coordinator was based here, that's Sarah. So those are Wales, Wales wide initiatives and, and I would say the fact that we're you know, the Welsh Assembly will say like "Can you coordinate it" you know, I think it's, it's great really cause it means people see us, you know, not just well if, you know, if you don't live near Cardiff then you're no use but, you know, a lot of outreach things do go on. So, again, a lot of it in a fairly local way but some of it, you know, people'll go up to north Wales and stay overnight for a few days, go into schools and so it's, it's reaching out. And there's Wrexham, Techniquest in Wrexham, I don't know have you heard a bit about that yes?

BS: yes, yes

CW: Which is opening in a few weeks time ((mimicking an advert)). So again, that, I mean one of the plans for that is that we get involved in teacher training in that area, I mean not as a, it won't be happening in the next few weeks sort of thing but is a long term kind of thing, running similar things to what happens down here. ºSoº