Educational outreach is the central focus for the visitor centre teams at Drax Power Station, North Yorkshire and also at our Scottish sites, Cruachan pumped-hydro Power Station and Tongland Power Station. Usually we show thousands of visitors around these sites each year explaining how we make electricity. However, whilst this is currently not possible, please find a number of videos, stories, activities and teaching resources created by our teams to help development during these unprecedented times. Our virtual tours have been split into two series, distinguishing between primary and secondary school levels, whilst our website articles are more suitable for older children, further education students and adults. We have also started an educational webinar program called ‘Drax In The Classroom’ for schools, please contact us for more information.
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- Drax Power Station
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- Cruachan Visitor Centre
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- Tongland Power Station
Drax Teaching Resources
We’ve produced both worksheets and information sheets covering elements of the Key Stage 2 Science Curriculum. Key Stage 3 Science Curriculum resources also coming soon.
Example PDF documents below:
Key Stage 2 documents can be found here:
- Changes of State [Information sheet]
- Changes of State [Worksheet]
- Electric or Not [Information sheet]
- Electric or Not [Worksheet]
- Marvellous Magnets [Information sheet]
- Marvellous Magnets [Worksheet]
- Solids, Liquids and Gases [Information sheet]
- Solids, Liquids and Gases [Worksheet]
Drax in the Classroom
In addition to our on-line content, we’re also offering interactive webinars that bring the operations of the country’s largest power station into the classroom. The webinars are hosted by our outreach team and present students with the opportunity to understand how we’ve become one of the UK’s largest generators of electricity from renewable resources, as well as asking any questions they may have. Our webinars can be tailored to your learning outcomes and satisfy the requirements of Gatsby Benchmark 5.
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in for your school or college, please contact us at: [email protected]
Example webinar slides below:
The Visitor Centre at Cruachan Power Station have also developed an educational webinar program focusing on Cruachan Power Station. The two webinars distinguish between audience, with one aimed at primary school children and another for college level students. To find out more about the webinars and about the work we are doing schools local to Cruachan in Scotland, please contact us via [email protected]
Drax Virtual Tours
Unfortunately, at the moment we can’t accept visitors at the power station, but we’re delighted to share parts of the tour and process with you.
We created the first series of virtual tours to be aimed at Key Stage 2 – primary level (7-11 years old). This was then followed with a second series aimed at Key Stage 3 – secondary level (11-14 years old). The sessions are a mixture of information and science on how we make electricity at the power station. They cover a range of topics from the type of fuel we use and why to how the electricity gets to your home.
Each series is in eight parts, which can be watched separately or in sequence and cover:
Series One (Key Stage 2):
- Pt 1 – Biomass & Carbon Cycle
- Pt 2 – Transportation
- Pt 3 – Domes
- Pt 4 – Pulverising Mills
- Pt 5 – Boiler
- Pt 6 – Turbines
- Pt 7 – Generator
- Pt 8 – Transformers & National Grid
Series Two (Key Stage 3):
- Pt 1 – BECCS
- Pt 2 – Power Generation and Transmission
- Pt 3 – Pulverising Mills and Efficiency
- Pt 4 – Boilers
- Pt 5 – Cooling Towers
- Pt 6 – Condensers
- Pt 7 – Biomass & Carbon Cycle
- Pt 8 – Generators
We hope you enjoy watching. To read further, please take a look at our ‘electricity explained’, Drax FAQs series and history stories, which explore several of the same topics covered in the virtual tours.
Key Stage 2 tour videos
Key Stage 3 tour videos
Indoor Ted from Drax
An online educational resource for parents, teachers and students from Drax and Outdoor Ted created to support the curriculum during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) lockdown. The STEM challenges are designed for children but can be enjoyed by all the family at home!
STEM challenges
Electricity explained
Drax frequently asked questions (FAQs)
History
Harry harks back to his head for heights – 50 years on from building giant power station chimney
Recent news and announcements
Contact Us
Drax Visitor Centre: [email protected]
Cruachan Visitor Centre: [email protected]
