The Great Science Share 2026
Read Manchester has collaborated with publisher Mama Makes Books and the Great Science Share for Schools to provide 200 books for Manchester pupils involved in the Great Science Share. Pioneered in Manchester, The University of Manchester’s Science & Engineering Education Research and Innovation Hub are the team behind the Great Science Share for Schools , an annual campaign to inspire children’s scientific question-asking. Students 5 to 14 ask, investigate and eventually share their work as part of the Great Science Share Days in June.
Twenty-seven teachers from 25 schools applied to join in and receive books from us. Pupils used the book – The Most Important Animal of All – as a basis for the biology strand investigations for Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils. They were encouraged to lead their own scientific enquiries into which animal is the most important of all and share their findings and some of the schools then took part in the Share Event at the RHS Bridgewater on 15th June and at the University of Manchester on 16th June. The books were donated by the publisher and Read Manchester, with five schools attending the celebration events to present their findings. Organisers commented that the pupils and teachers were incredibly well organised, and the children presented their science with confidence, enthusiasm and real pride.
Schools told us that taking part in the science investigations had lots of benefits for the pupils:
- It’s very good for children to see reading in lots of different ways especially boys who can be hard to engage.
- Our school serves a community with high levels of deprivation, and many of our children have limited opportunities to take part in events beyond the local area or to engage in hands-on science learning experiences.
- My SEND class need opportunities to develop their skills in a real-life context and working with outside agencies to expand on their role models.
- We are constantly striving to raise the profile of reading in our school and have a limited budget to buy new books and resources. Using books as a tool, not only promotes reading and provides the children with the opportunity to explore a new text, but it also makes links between reading and other curriculum areas. Using quality books across the curriculum further encourages the children to explore different genres for a range of purposes and helps to engage those children who are reluctant readers or who express a preference for non-fiction genres.
