LbQ Ambassador Profile: Kate Penarski

Here at LbQ, we love to celebrate and champion our inspirational LbQ Ambassadors! In this article, we discover everything about the great work Kate Penarski has been doing.

Kate has over 11 years’ experience in Primary School education as a teacher and a leader. She has gained a National Qualification for Senior and Middle Leadership and holds the National Award for the Enthuse Primary STEM Teacher of the year 2020. Kate is a specialist leader of education with specialisms in Teaching and Learning, Assessment, Science and Subject leadership and management. She has extensive knowledge of leading effective professional development and has supported educators around the world to develop frameworks and practical tools to enhance teaching and learning.

Kate Penarski has shown whenever she is given a challenge, she rises to meet it. This year she has been tackling the challenge of raising aspirations and attainment through STEM as part of her Science Lead role at St Bede Primary Academy in Bolton. As Kate explains:

_ “As I saw what a positive different STEM was making at St Bede, I reached out to fellow Science Leads in primary schools in Bolton to begin a culture of sharing and supporting to enhance our pupils’ science learning journey."_

Kate’s research into primary science didn’t stop at the teachers, she also asked the pupils what they wanted from their lessons and how the school could help them reach their dream goals. From this Kate and the Science team ensured that the science curriculum was exciting, engaging and fun to spark the interest of all the pupils and ensured it had everything they need such as opportunities for practical activities, inquiry-based learning and resources to support the 5 lines of scientific enquiry. Kate enthuses:

‘All the teachers at St Bede Primary School provide exciting and engaging science lessons and children really look forward to their Science time each week, I couldn’t be more proud to work alongside colleagues who truly care and are committed to providing a top class science education’.

_ ‘One of the ways in which we have engaged our learners in school and at home is with our new LbQ approach. Using LbQ has been a game changer for us and we believe it has sped up learning. The innovative platform allows our pupils to complete question sets on a vast array of topic areas. Children can see instantly where they have done well and their target areas – making learning so personalised and instant feedback so each child goes home excited that they have grown in their learning that day.’_

Kate created a Space curriculum for many primary schools in Bolton:

‘I’m setting up a space week for schools across Bolton, in partnership with NASA, to get children enthusiastic about Science through Space.’

Kate resolved that she would create science content that was not only inspirational and immersive for her own school community, but for those around her as well. This is a great collaborative project for schools in Bolton and has really put St Bede on the map as a leader of education.

‘One of my aims is to get schools across Bolton working together to create new ways to teach science, a real Bolton community. Everyone has been so positive, and I hope it raises awareness of the incredible education on offer in Bolton schools.’

Kate also approached the Royal Engineering Society about the Space week for EYFS to Year 6 children and her aim to create the first ever Space Week in Bolton and share this with other primary schools in the area. Kate won the £15K grant that allowed her to create a ‘Space Bundle’ for each school containing lights, planetariums, drones, and kits to make space suits and moon-buggies.

In a previous teaching role in Washington DC, Kate was lucky enough to be introduced to a NASA astronaut, who is now going to talk to the Bolton children live through ‘satellite link’ and answer all their questions about what it’s really like to go to space!“ For these children, this is extraordinary – to have the chance to interview a real astronaut – what a great opportunity and way to experience science first hand – bringing learning to life.

Kate has created, as part of the St Bede Teaching School a, ‘Science Centre’ where teachers can access free online CPD and workshops, she has never done so much presenting and enjoying learning and sharing from so many educators in the UK.

“One of the wonderful things about creating Bolton’s first Space Week and our Science Centre is that it has inspired other teachers to do the same. My incredible colleague Laura has opened a truly remarkable Maths Centre engaging and supporting many SCITT students and teachers with math mastery and another amazing colleague Jess has created an outdoor learning Centre improving children’s wellbeing through utilising nature in education.”

Kate has proven that by working together, science leaders and teachers no longer have to feel on their own but by opening their classroom doors can join in the conversation and be part of the cluster of teachers to support and provide the sparks to ignite each pupil’s enthusiasm for learning in Science. St Bede Primary and their partner schools certainly seem ready to take off!