Teacher info

Overview

Did you know that Drosophila can bring life into your biology lessons not only in the context of classical genetics and Punnett squares? and can be used as a modern teaching tool for many curriculum-relevant specifications, such as evolution, nervous system and vision, enzymes, organs, life cycle and even statistics? See the “Learning Resources” tab, and see a brief overview here .

For the underlying rationale and the ways in which these lessons were developed and can be implemented, see the “Why fly?” and  “Home” tabs. We can support you and help you make biology lessons fly in the classroom:

  • We can visit you and present at your school or host you at University (see our list of school visits below). Alternatively, you can take a virtual visit with your students.
  • We can provide you with flies and fly food for your classes; see details here about what we provide and check out the schools we provided with materials already.
  • You can download all teaching materials for free, including simple experiments that fascinate pupils at all ages, and links are provided under our “Learning Resources” tab which also provides support information for teacher preparation, homework tasks or revisions.
  • If you have ideas for the development of teaching resources that are  curriculum-relevant and involve fly, please, get in contact.

Our school events & activities

School events

See our interactive map of schools we visited or collaborate with.

  1. Faith Academy, secondary Living Faith Church school, Goshen City, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
  2. Kingdom Heritage Model Primary School, primary Living Faith Church school, Goshen City, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
  3. British Science Week, University of Manchester -12 & 13 March 2020
  4. Animal Research Day, FBMH, University of Manchester – 11 Dec 2019
  5. Altrincham Grammar School – 8 Oct 2019
  6. Scarisbrick Hall School – 4 July 2019
  7. GorseHill Primary School – 21 June 2019
  8. Animal Research Day, FBMH, University of Manchester – 17 July 2019
  9. St Johns Spanish Exchange, University of Manchester – 17 June 2019
  10. Scarisbrick Hall School, 24 April 2019
  11. British Science Week, University of Manchester -11 to 15 March 2019
  12. Animal Research Day, FBMH, University of Manchester – 12 Dec 2018
  13. St John’s RC Primary School, 17 Oct 2018 — [blog]
  14. Discover Life Sciences Event, FBMH, University of Manchester – 17/18 July 2018

  15. Image drawn by a St. Christopher pupil after our fly event.

    Manchester University/ Lancashire Schools collaboration

  16. Scarisbrick Hall School -4 July 2018 — [blog; Evaluation]
  17. Y10 Work Experience Programme – 28 June 2018
  18. Manchester Grammar – 27 June 2018
  19. Brookburn Primary, Manchester – 06 June 2018
  20. Animal Research Day, FBMH, University of Manchester – 29 March 2018
  21. British Science Week, University of Manchester -13 to 16 March 2018
  22. Animal Research Day, FBMH, University of Manchester – 7 Dec 2017
  23. Discover Life Sciences, FBMH, University of Manchester – 28/29 Jun 17
  24. Loreto sixth form college – 19 May 2017
  25. Manchester Grammar – 16 May 2017
  26. Trinity School, Manchester – 8 May 2017
  27. Animal Research Day, FBMH, University of Manchester – 29 March 2017
  28. Loreto sixth form college – 27 March 2017
  29. Withington Primary School – 23 March 2017
  30. Manchester Grammar – 21 March 2017
  31. Loreto sixth form college, Manchester – 13 March 2017
  32. British Science Week, University of Manchester -14 to 17 March 2017
  33. Loreto sixth form college, Manchester – 19 Jan 2017
  34. Trinity School, Manchester – 16 Dec 2016
  35. Audiolab Project, Manchester- 1 Nov 2016
  36. Altrincham Grammar School – 11 Oct 2016
  37. Loreto Sixth Form College – 6 Oct 2016
  38. 9 month collaboration with Trinity CoE High School and Loreto Sixth Form College within the droso4schools project – Aug 2016 to June 2017
  39. Y12 Mini Summer School, Faculty of Life Sciences – 25 July 2016
  40. Y10 Work Experience Programme – 18 July 2016
  41. Discover Life Sciences Event, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester – 12 July 2016
  42. Ryburn Valley High, Fly Facility, 15 April 2016
  43. St John’s RC Primary School, 05 April 2016
  44. Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy, Fly Facility – 22 March 2016
  45. British Science Week, University of Manchester -11 to 20 March 2016
  46. Acacias Community Primary School – 27 Jan 2015
  47. Discover Life Sciences Event, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester – 1 Dec 2015
  48. Kings’ School, Chester, Genetics Roadshow – 19 Nov 2015
  49. St Peter’s High School, Manchester – 19 Nov 2015
  50. Aquinas College, Stockport- 02 Nov 2015
  51. Cardinal Newman College, Lancashire, Collaboration – Nov 2015
  52. Nelson & Colne College, Nelson – 06 Oct 2015
  53. Year 12 Mini Summer School, Faculty of Life Sciences – 03 Aug 2015
  54. Year 10 Work Experience Programme, Faculty of Life Sciences, Manchester University – 13 July 2015
  55. Brookburn Primary School, Manchester – 6 June 2015
  56. Animal Research Day, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester University – 25 March 2015
  57. Ashton Sixth Form College, Manchester- 11 March 2015
  58. Trinity School, Manchester – 10 March 2015
  59. Xavarian Sixth Form College, Manchester- 4 March 2015
  60. Cambridge HE+ program, Loreto College, Manchester- 25 Feb 2015
  61. St Peter’s High School, Manchester – 11 Feb 2015
  62. Manchester Grammar School – 02 Feb 2015
  63. St Christopher’s CE High School, Lancashire – 28 Jan 2015
  64. Trinity School, Manchester, Careers Day – Nov 2014
  65. Cardinal Newman College, Lancashire, Collaboration – 25 Sept 2014
  66. 3 month collaboration with Trinity CoE High School and Loreto Sixth Form College within the droso4schools project – Sept-Dec 2014
  67. Cheadle Hulme High School, Cheadle – 11 July 2014
  68. Bolton Muslim Girls’ School – 27 June 2014
  69. Connell Sixth Form College, Manchester Fly Facility – 23 June 2014
  70. Manchester Communication Academy, Manchester – 20 June 2014
  71. Animal Research Day, Faculty of Life Sciences, Manchester University – 2 April 2014
  72. Bolton School Girls Division, Bolton – 13 Feb 2014
  73. St Christopher’s CE High School, Lancashire – 28 Nov 2013
  74. St Mary’s CE Primary School, Reddish – 18 Oct 2013
  75. Animal Research Day, Faculty of Life Sciences, Manchester University – 17 Oct 2013
  76. Bolton School Girls Division, Bolton – 9 Oct 2013
  77. Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Warrington – 13 June 2013
  78. Bramhall High School, Stockport – 16 Nov 2012
  79. The King’s School, Chester – 15 Nov 2012

Image drawn by another St. Christopher’s student

School student work experience at the Fly Facility

  • Since July 2011, 50 work experience students from Manchester schools have been placed at the Fly Facility. Please, contact us if you are interested.

CPD events

  1. CPD teacher training event, Fly Facility, Manchester University – 25 Jan 2018
  2. School-University Partnership, Networking Event, Manchester University – 23 Nov 2017
  3. STEM Learning RCUK cutting edge programme – 13 July 2017
  4. Royal Society Science event – 15 March 2017
  5. MANCEP Teacher’s conference at Manchester Metropolitan University – 17 Feb 2017
  6. Teacher’s Summer School, Faculty of Life Sciences, Manchester University – 11 July 2016
  7. ASE Annual Conference, Birmingham – 8 Jan 2016
  8. School-University Partnership, Networking Event, Manchester University – 21 Oct 2014
  9. Teacher’s Summer School, Faculty of Life Sciences, Manchester University – 27 July 2015
  10. Bringing Cutting Edge Science – CPD teacher event, Fly Facility, Manchester University – 23 March 2015
  11. MANCEP Teacher’s conference at Manchester Metropolitan University – 13 Feb 2015
  12. School-University Partnership, Networking Event, Manchester University – 15th Oct 2014
  13. Teacher’s Summer School, Faculty of Life Sciences, Manchester University – 30 July 2014
  14. Maths and Sciences Teachers Conference, Manchester University – 25 June 2014
  15. Teachers’ Visit, Faculty of Life Science, Manchester University – 4 Feb 2014
  16. School-University Partnership, Networking Event, Manchester University – 20th Nov2013

Student essays and evaluations of our school events

  • St. John’s Primary RC Evaluation (Oct 18) – [LINK]
  • Scarisbrick Hall School Evaluation (July 18) – [LINK]
  • St. John’s Primary RC Pupils Reports (April 16) [LINK]
  • Manchester Grammar Junior School Pupil Reports (Feb 15) – [LINK]
  • Cheadle Hulme High School Reports (July 14) – [LINK]
  • St Christopher’s Pupils Reports (Nov 13) – [LINK]

Univ. students placed as teaching assistants in schools

  • Charlotte Blackburn, University of Edinburgh – November 2017
  • Sophie Demaine, University of Manchester – August 2016- June 2017
  • Joshua Heafield, University of Manchester – August 2016- June 2017
  • Jennifer Harbottle, University of Aberdeen – January-March 2015
  • Patrick Stangward, University of Manchester – January-March 2015

(please, contact us if you are interested in such a placement)

Our support

Materials sent out to you

For flies and resources to implement these lessons in your schools please see our Manchester Fly Facility leaflet Sept 2021

  • Drosophila adults flies/larvae
  • Pre-made fly food

Schools that we provided materials to

  • Ashton sixth form college, Ashton (May 15)
  • Birkenhead High School, Birkenhead (Jan 14, Feb 14, May 14, Aug 14, Dec 14, Jan 16, April 17, Jan 18, Oct 18, Nov 18, Nov 19)
  • Bolton School, Lancashire (Feb 15. Nov 18)
  • Bolton Girls School, Bolton (Oct 13, Feb 14, June 14, Oct 18)
  • Bolton Muslim Girls School, Bolton (June 14)
  • Brompton Academy, Kent (Sept 18)
  • Burney College, Burnley (Sept 14, June 18)
  • Cardinal Newman College, Preston (Sept 14, Nov 14, Dec 14, Feb 15, March 15, Nov 15, Dec 15, Feb 16, March 16, Nov 16, Feb 17, March 17, Nov 17, Feb 18, March 18)
  • Denbigh High School, Denbigh (May 15, Dec 15, Jan 16)
  • Escola Secundária de Ponte de Lima,Portugal (Feb 17, April 17, Jan 18)
  • Harris Academy St Johns Wood, London (Jan 19,20)
  • Hulme Grammar school, Oldham (Oct 12)
  • The Judd School, Kent (July 18, Jan 19, Dec 19)
  • Loreto Sixth form College, Manchester (July 14)
  • Loughbrough Grammar School, Loughbrough (June 12, Oct 12)
  • Mallaig High School (Mallaig (Oct 19)
  • Merchant Taylors School, Liverpool (Sept 13, Oct 14, Nov 14, Dec 14, Jan 15, Oct 15, Jan 17, Nov 17, Nov 18 )
  • Nelson and Colne College, Nelson (March 16, March 17)
  • NUAST, Nottingham (Oct 17)
  • Rossall School, Lancashire (Jan 16)
  • Ryburn Valley High School (April 15)
  • Sidcot School, Sommerset (July 16, July 17)
  • St Johnfisher Catholic School, Medway (Nov 16)
  • St Mary’s School, Trafford (Jan 15)
  • The Kings’ School, Chester (Sept 14, Nov 18)
  • Trinity High School, Mnachester (Nov 14)
  • Urmston Grammar (Nov 14)
  • Wiltshire College, Lackham (Jan, Feb 17)
  • Xavarian College, Manchester (Jan 17, Oct 17)