Light and Space SEND Friendly Backpacks and Activity Boxes

We are applying for funding to develop hands-on opportunities for the families of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to engage with science. This ties in with the target audience of the STFC Wonder Initiative, as the age range of the intended users falls within the 8-14 age range. An analysis of government allocation of pupil premium funding, an indicator of economic deprivation, shows that 10/13 Oxfordshire Special schools have a higher than average numbers of eligible pupils in 2022/23. For example, 47.5% of children at Iffley Academy are eligible for pupil premium, compared to the national average of 20%. We might infer that economic hardship, coupled with a general lack of provision of accessible resources for children with SEND and their families, means that many children and young people with SEND (particularly those without a family member working in sciences) often have low 'science capital'.

We identified the need for these resources from feedback given by families of children with SEND during the evaluation of our current family backpacks, who pointed out, for example, that resources were text-heavy. We also heard from teachers that there are limited resources for the families of their pupils to engage with science and culture in public settings, many of whom have also been particularly hard hit by their experiences of the Covid pandemic. This was highlighted by OFSTED in their report from June 2021 which noted how this group has been particularly disadvantaged in terms of missed and narrowed educational experiences resulting from Covid restrictions.

Our over-reaching aims are to work with young people with SEND themselves (from Iffley Academy Special School) to create a range of resources that are accessible and enjoyable for themselves and their families; encourage children/young people to engage with scientific concepts that are relevant to contemporary scientific space research and instrument development, and can be used in different settings, including the History of Science Museum and science outreach events by ourselves and partners such as RAL Space.

The resources will include:
-A bank of explorer backpacks, which can be used primarily in the setting of the Museum, containing optical materials relating to space instrumentation and objects in our collection. These would be used by families.
-2 activity boxes containing optical materials to be used in outreach events by the Museum and partners, including RAL space. These would be used by families facilitated with support from public engagement teams.
-A short booklet which can be given to parents/carers/grandparents with ideas for science activities to try at home and a 'deeper dive' linking science concepts in the backpacks/handling boxes and booklet to historical and contemporary science.

Anticipated Outcomes
Children with SEND and their families will:
-Explore key science concepts for themselves using an experimental, play-based approach, using the backpack/activity box objects as a starting point.
-Feel inspired to find out more about science by having access to well-designed, accessible activities that harness curiosity and prompt them to ask questions about how the objects work.
-Value being able to share their scientific understanding and skills together with each other as family members. The young people with SEND supporting the development of the resources will also value being given a platform to share their views and opinions and to have an active role in shaping the science activities for families.
-Develop skills to carry out scientific activities themselves, using the resources provided. Parents will also develop confidence to try out carrying simple science learning at home through the booklets provided.
-Understand how science can be found all around us and how it can be used to find benefits for society (e.g., in space exploration).

The backpacks will be regularly available for SEND families visiting the History of Science Museum from March 2024. The backpacks and activity boxes will also be used by the public engagement teams of the History of Science Museum and RAL Space, in outreach events. Once the resources have been developed, it is envisaged that there will be an opportunity to adapt the backpacks and activity boxes for use in workshops with special schools at the Museum; for use with our Adults with Learning Difficulties (ALD) group; with our English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) refugee groups; or at school events such as Science Explorer Days at RAL.

The History of Science Museum will be collaborating with RAL Space to write a joint research paper for publication in Research for All or Communicating Astronomy with the Public and GEM (the Education in Museums journal). We will also look for wider opportunities to share our work at conferences within the heritage and science public engagement communities. In addition, we will be sharing news about our project through the HSM, Oxford University GLAM and RAL Space mailing lists and social and digital media channels.

As this is a follow-on of a Royal Society funded project the Public Engagement Team at the Royal Society are interested in the outcomes of this project, and we have access to their network of academics that work in Public Engagement, and their communications teams.