Science Active School - East Marden Primary School

Years awarded: 2025

What Makes East Marden Primary School a Science Active School

• SASTA Member on staff
• Participate in the Oliphant Science Awards
• Had an article printed in SASTA publications

Being a Science Active School represents a commitment to fostering a culture of curiosity, experimentation, and discovery in science. Our students are encouraged to engage in hands-on learning, participate in science clubs and competitions, and explore real-world challenges both in science lessons and throughout their whole schooling. Our staff create dynamic lessons that inspire inquiry and critical thinking, while our school fosters partnerships with the broader community to bring science to life. Ultimately, being a science active school reflects our commitment to making science exciting, accessible, and meaningful for every student.

East Marden has consistently been supportive of the science team engaging in professional development that helps us keep up with current best practice. Collaboration is encouraged across the school, and the science team in particular has been encouraged to try new things that enhance the science learning of our community, including our Science Spectacular, the STEM blog that showcases STEM learning across the school, and perusing grants that can enhance the environmental education of students.

A standout achievement has been the Science Spectacular held last year. This was a hands-on science night and featured students sharing STEM programs they were involved in throughout the school, parents sharing how they used Science and STEM in their work lives, connections to STEM companies including SAAB electronics who brought in a fantastic robotics display, as well as showcasing student work in the Oliphant Science Awards and the Mary Anning art competition. It was wonderful to see students and families engaging with science, working together, and sharing a love and passion for learning.

This event was widely attended by passionate students in our school community and their families who support them, and it involved a huge portion of our staff. Plans are underway to make this year’s event bigger and better than the last!

Another significant program at our school is our schools Gardening and Sustainability Clubs. Our Gardening Club is made up of passionate students making our school more sustainable through growing and planting native plants around our school and growing vegetables in our school garden for the school’s canteen. The sustainability arm, R.I.S.E is led by passionate students who raise awareness of sustainability initiatives that students and families can implement at home and at school. They have created videos about recycling and composting, fact sheets about sustainability issues, and are planning further events throughout the year. These are student-led initiatives and we cannot wait to see how they shape our school’s science community.

One current initiative at East Marden Primary School is our STEM leaders. This program has been a part of the school for nearly eight years, and involves students who are passionate about science and STEM sharing their knowledge and expertise with others. This year STEM leaders are creating and teaching lessons to students in years R-3 in a range of after school STEM clubs. These Year 6 students have given up their time after school to plan lessons, create resources and teach younger students. This has been a fantastic way for our older students to have ownership over their learning and how JP STEM programs are run at our school.

Do you think your school has what it takes to be a Science Active School? Apply here!