Tonbridge School joins national microscopy outreach programme

Tonbridge School has partnered with the Institute for Research in Schools, the Royal Microscopical Society, Hitachi High Technologies and Oxford Instruments in a national outreach programme that lends portable scanning electron microscopes (SEM) to schools across the UK.

The initiative aims to broaden access to advanced scientific equipment and inspire students to engage with cutting-edge research. As part of the collaboration, Tonbridge School will act as a maintenance hub for the programme.

Project leader and Senior Biology Technician Ramona Szalczinger explained that the microscopes will be returned to the school between loans, where they will be serviced and prepared for redistribution to other participating schools. Ramona is also responsible for facilitating regular communication with host schools, where she supports logistics, ongoing engagement, sharing best practice, as well as curating the SEMinar Series – a collection of classroom investigations of her own creation that accompany the SEMs on their journey across the country.

Reflecting on the importance of the programme, Ramona highlights:

It is a real privilege to help open access to advanced microscopy for students and to contribute to a project that genuinely connects classrooms with real scientific practice.

Tonbridge School will host one of the microscopes in June 2026, a greatly anticipated adventure for both students and staff.