Time spent on a residential course at the National Science Learning Centre in York is a career defining experience for many of the teachers, teaching assistants, technicians and lecturers who visit the Centre. However, NSLC understand that it can still be difficult for schools and colleges to find the budget to allow you extended periods of time away from your pupils. This year they’re delighted to announce the launch of ENTHUSE Awards, to be made available by the trustees of the ENTHUSE Charitable Trust.
The ENTHUSE Award is designed to cover your course fees, supply cover for the duration of the course, travel, accommodation in our high quality residential facilities and all your meals and refreshments during your stay. It will also include a small amount of money to help you implement your ideas once you arrive back in the classroom.
For further information please feel free to contact any member of the SELB Science Team.
The NSLC website
https://www.sciencelearningcentres.org.uk/gives the following advice:
Who can apply?Any teacher, teaching assistant, technician or lecturer from a school or college in the UK can apply for an ENTHUSE Award.
How do I apply? Shortly after you have applied for a place on a course you will be sent an e-mail containing a link to an electronic Impact identifier and ENTHUSE Award Application Form. Simply complete these forms before the start of the course to apply for your Award. You MUST apply for a place on a course before you submit your application for an ENTHUSE Award. To apply for the course of your choice visit our
courses and events page.How much is it worth?The value of the ENTHUSE Award varies per course and is given in the fees section on the course pages.
How much do the courses cost? Costs vary per course and are detailed in the fees section on each individual course page.
When will my school or college get the money? These Awards will be paid direct to your school or college following satisfaction of the terms and conditions of the ENTHUSE Award, which include completion of the course and submission of an action plan. The action plan will need to have been discussed with your line manager and show how you will ensure that the Continuing Professional Development has an impact in your school or college. Your line manager may be contacted by your course leader to discuss your action plan. See terms & conditions below.
What can my school or college use the money for?Your ENTHUSE Award can be used to cover course fees, supply cover, travel, accommodation or to fund your ideas for improving the teaching of science.
How many ENTHUSE Awards can teachers at my school or college apply for? Teachers from the same school or college are eligible to apply for a maximum of two ENTHUSE Awards on any one course. If your school or college wishes to send more than two members of staff on one course then the additional applicants will be held on a waiting list. If the course has not reached capacity one month prior to the course start date the additional applicants will also be eligible to apply for an ENTHUSE Award. However, teachers from the same school or college can apply for as many places as they wish on separate courses.
When do I find out if I've been awarded one? We will process your ENTHUSE Award within ten working days of your application.
Who can I contact with any queries or problems I'm having with the ENTHUSE Award process? If you need help completing your form one of our team will be happy to assist - simply call 01904 328 300.
Terms & Conditions: There are certain criteria in place that must be fulfilled in order for your school or college to receive the full payment of the ENTHUSE Award:
You must be employed by a school.
The National Science Learning Centre must have received full payment of fees.
You must complete and submit an action plan to the course leader at the end of the course.
The National Science Learning Centre will evaluate the impact of courses in schools and colleges including an audit of how the ENTHUSE Award has been used. You and your school or college must be willing to participate in this exercise.
If so requested, your school or college will provide confirmation of the amount of out of pocket expenses incurred in connection with your attendance on the course (including course fees, subsistence, travel and supply cover).
You must complete the full course.
However:
Should participants not be able to complete attendance of the full course, suitable reasons on compassionate grounds such as a family bereavement or serious illness will be taken into account by the trustees of the ENTHUSE Charitable Trust in determining whether full payment of the ENTHUSE Award is approved.
Partial payment may be approved by the Centre when there has been incomplete attendance of course due to mild illness, family circumstances or pregnancy.
In the case of family bereavement, illness, family circumstances or pregnancy, schools are encouraged to send a substitute person who has, where possible, been briefed by the original participant. If no substitute is available, schools will be able to transfer their booking and ENTHUSE Award on to the same course in the following year or to another course during the same year. If the school does not transfer the booking to another date on, or before the date of the course then the ENTHUSE Award will not be given and the school or college will be liable for the full fees, if it has not already paid them.
ENTHUSE Awards will not be paid when:
The participant fails to attend the second residential period or complete the course without providing a suitable reason*
The participant has absented themselves from sessions without providing a suitable reason*
The participant has left the course early without offering a suitable reason*
The school does not release the participant because of events, such as an Ofsted inspection, that are part of normal school business.
*A suitable reason would include compassionate grounds such as a family bereavement or serious illness. If any participant fails to meet the criteria to receive their full ENTHUSE Award the school will be notified immediately.
Who is providing the money to the ENTHUSE Charitable Trust to enable it to fund the ENTHUSE Awards? The money is being provided by the Department for Children,Schools and Families, AstraZeneca, AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust, BAE Systems, BP, General Electric Foundation, GlaxoSmithKline, Rolls‑Royce, Vodafone and Vodafone Group Foundation.
This workshop was presented by Sue McGrath – the Northern Ireland Co-ordinator for the Institute of Physics and was hosted by the science department of the Sacred Heart Grammar School on October 21st 09.
