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Unilever

Unilever has had strong links with Sharnbrook Upper School, Bedford, for many years. When the School entered into the North Bedfordshire Schools Trust with 18 other local schools across a three tier schooling system, our last director of the laboratory spearheaded our involvement.

One of the benefits to the schools borne from the Trust includes the different trustees and teachers making up two working groups; one focusing on how we can support the curriculum and the other on service harmonisation and financial support. As part of the curriculum working group, we look at how we can help with the delivery of the curriculum, particularly maths and science and how to best ensure a smooth transition for the children between the tiers. By coming together in this manner, the working groups have been able to deliver a solid foundation across the school network.

We organise a range of activities for students, including work experience for about 36 students a year. This is not just in the area of industrial science, we have had students do work experience with our site maintenance and the graphic design team. With such a large site which includes many different facets of the company we can offer opportunities in a whole range of different arenas. Four or five times a year we have world class scientists give presentations to our staff that are relevant to the GCSE or A level curriculum and we invite the older students to come in which helps to extend their understanding of science and technology.

More recently, we have been looking into how to engage students from the lower schools. Scientists from Unilever have been giving lessons to younger students on topics such as how to make ice cream. (practical of course!)

Working with the Trust has increased our level of interaction with the community to our mutual benefit. Working closely with the other trust members we have been able to advise the  parish council on ways to manage traffic through the local village. We have received support from the trust when we have sought planning permission for buildings on the Science Park. The Trust has facilitated easier communication and enabled us to create links across the community which have become invaluable to the community as a whole.