Supporting less advantaged pupils through the Brilliant Club

Lecturer Dr Shan Shan Hou has been working with the Brilliant Club; an organisation that brings together university researchers from across the UK to support less advantaged pupils.

The Brilliant Club has mobilised the PhD community, recruiting, training and placing PhD researchers in schools across the UK to share their subject knowledge and passion for learning with small groups of pupils aged 8-18. Tutors are trained to support less advantaged students, helping them to access the most competitive universities, and to succeed when they get there.

Shan Shan has been teaching on the 'Scholars Programme' which offers training for researchers to communicate their research to a non-specialist audience, gain valuable public engagement experience and deepen their knowledge of the UK education system.

The Scholars Programme also helps to raise awareness of further education and career opportunities for school children. Shan Shan has been teaching children aged 10-11 (Year 6) across four primary schools in Torfaen County Borough Council over the autumn and spring terms. These include; George Street Primary School, Penygarn Community Primary School, New Inn Primary School and Griffithstown Primary School.

The lessons have focused on climate change with an emphasis on the built environment. Shan Shan has been teaching the children about practical solutions to mitigate the impacts of a changing climate such as keeping doors and windows closed when it's cold outside and turning off electrical devices when they are not in use.