NRC Summer Science School gets top marks from students

Students in Ballymena have given the ‘thumbs up’ to Northern Regional College’s Summer Science School saying it was an ideal opportunity to refresh their chemistry skills before starting into the new academic year.
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As practical science sessions in schools and colleges were severely impacted by the pandemic, the two-day programme filled with practical lab activities and learning, delivered in collaboration with Queen’s University was designed to give students a chance to get valuable ‘hands-on’ experience. Endorsed by the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Summer School was as an excellent opportunity to address the gap in Year 14 A-Level and Level 3 BTEC students’ laboratory-based learning and skills development.

Among those attending the two-day programme were students from colleges from a wide area. Bradley George, who is half-way through his Level 3 Applied Science Diploma at NRC in Ballymena said the summer school was “exactly what he needed”. He said; “I felt my brain was ready to melt from doing nothing for so long! I enjoyed getting back into the lab and doing some practical work and am looking forward to starting the second year of my course.” The practical sessions were supervised by two of NRC’s Science lecturers, Dr Johanne Brolly and Dr Patricia Smyth. Dr Brolly said: “The Summer Science School was designed to bridge the gap in lab skills and knowledge to boost confidence, so students get off to a good start at university. It’s a great example of how FE Colleges and universities can work together to support their students.”