Molecular Profiles™

The future of a unique science learning project for primary pupils at a Nottinghamshire school is secure thanks to a sponsorship pledge by four leading bioscience businesses. Lab_13 at Dovecote Primary School, Clifton in Nottingham was facing an uncertain future before a team from BioCity Nottingham visited in August and responded to the call for help. BioCity together with companies R5 Pharmaceuticals, Molecular Profiles and Healthcare and Bioscience iNet will contribute over £10,000 to help the pupil-run laboratory to continue inspiring junior scientists, and to build a link to leading science research resources.

Launched in April 2009, Dovecote Primary Lab_13 was the first of its kind in the UK and received initial funding as part of the emda-funded Ingition programme. It is a dedicated science space in the school managed by the pupils who carry out their own experiments outside the curriculum in free school time and during the holidays. The original management team of 12 pupils from years 5 and 6 (aged 9, 10 and 11) selected their own roles and worked together over 15 months to develop the project. They even created the job description for their part-time scientist in residence, interviewed and selected the person they liked. The scientist helped to run the lab and supervised pupils aged 3 to 11 with experiments such as ‘rainbow fizz’, elephant toothpaste, growing cress in tights, and even sheep heart dissection. However, the Ignition funding has now run out meaning that the lab would have to close unless the school could find further finance.

Andy Jenkins, head teacher at Dovecote School added: “Lab_13 is a fantastic addition to the school. It is a pupil run space which enables the children to be creative, explore and have fun with science. This financial support from local businesses will allow this work to continue. The children are very excited about the lab reopening soon.”