Impact of STEM

1. Impact of STEM A schools model of delivery

2. Session Structure • My role • Explaining STEM? • Why STEM? • How can you run STEM activities? • Who is there to support STEM? • What are the possible activities? • How could STEM work for your organisation?

3. What lead me here……and My Role • Teacher of Science for 15 years • 2yrs as Second in science • 4 yrs as Head of Science • Currently at Roundwood • Wider engagement in Science. • Raise the profile of science. • STEMnet course. • Co ordinate a range of STEM activities for all year groups; clubs, competitions, whole day events& science week.

4. What is Stem? • Creates opportunities to inspire young people in STEM subjects through activities organised across the school. • Promotes links between teachers within and between subject areas and between schools. • Facilitates working with STEM employers who bring hands-on STEM activities that motivate, inspire and bring learning and career opportunities to life. • Meet inspiring role models, creating these opportunities for young people of all backgrounds and abilities to understand real world applications of STEM subjects and experience. • We work with STEMNET who successfully deliver three core national programmes • STEM Ambassadors • STEM Clubs Programme • Schools STEM Advisory Network

5. Why STEM? • STEM subjects are integral to the UK’s success. • Employers are finding it difficult to recruit STEM skilled staff. • STEM knowledge & skills are crucial for informed citizens in an increasingly scientific and technological society. • Government has long identified STEM education as a major priority at both school and HE level. 2007 the McKinsey report • Education for a strong STEM economy is built on strong subject teaching and STEM provision in schools and colleges. • Its about employability in the field of stem careers. • Creating individuals who have an interest and an understanding in stem subject areas, who are able to make links between the subjects and able to work effectively in a team.

6. Its not just that…. • A fundamental fascination that young people have with STEM subjects. • For some students the enthusiasm for STEM subjects stops here unless we channel it. • For others the route to satisfaction in this field will start from an experience of STEM in the wider world. • Thinking of STEM as a group of inter-related subjects helps to open up those doors. • Effective and inspiring teachers and professionals sufficiently supported, are vital to raising students’ enjoyment of, enthusiasm for, and achievement in STEM subjects. • Subjects are usually taught individually, providing specialist teaching. • STEM experience outside of school is far more complex. • One challenge for STEM teaching is to help young people recognise how the science, design & technology, computer science, engineering and mathematics that they study at school or college can lead to rich and varied career pathways. • By reaching outside their own classroom, teachers and lecturers collaborate across subjects, enhance and enrich the school curriculum, make links with the world of work, and use varied contexts to help young people relate school STEM subjects with their real-world experience.

7. Is it working? • ‘Successfully combatting the predicted STEM skills shortage, pupils are 90% more likely to be interested in continuing to study STEM subjects after engaging with Ambassadors’ October 9, 2013 David Willets, Minister for Universities and Science, (BIS) and Elizabeth Truss, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Education (DfE). At Roundwood; • Increase in the uptake of separate sciences (still more boys that girls) • Dramatic increase in STEM work experience as a result of direct contacts or increased interest • Raised the profile of Science in the school and in the local community • Positive comments from STEM ambassadors and work placements shows that the students skills are improving • Difficult to say if its increased attainment as there are so many variables….

8. How do you run STEM? • STEMnet • Meet ambassadors • Choose engaging activities that can be accommodated at your venue • Select target group of students or whole year group • Liaise with staff and plan timetable

9. Benefits of partnerships STEM Ambassadors • Invaluable and free resource. • Impressive resources. • Help to deliver the STEM curriculum. • Raise awareness of STEM careers. • Support activities and promote STEM subjects in a vast range of original, creative, practical and engaging ways. • Wide range of careers and professions. • Dispel the Mad scientists myth.

10. Benefits of partnerships Cross curricular/cross school • Staff from other specialisms or schools bring their own different skills, ideas and resources. • A model of collaboration for the students. • Promotes cross curricular thinking & encourages students to draw on ideas from different skill areas. • Sharing resources • Element of competition between schools drives creativity. • Helps with transition.

11. Activities and Impact • Our aim for STEM at Roundwood Park school was to take Science beyond the class room and introduce our students to what can be achieved given dedication and continuing in further education in the science, maths and technology field. • Together we have created an opportunity to inspire our young people in the field of science maths and engineering and have built a good relationship with many STEM ambassadors to continue with a wide range of activities next year. • This takes enthusiasm, commitment and drive from staff as well as the great team of students we encourage. • The development of STEM opportunities for our students has developed and flourished over the past few years as a direct result of our effort.

12. ASTRIUM Build a Satellite Activity • Annual Yr9 STEM day. • Science, Maths and Tech department all taught material before the event to support the day. • Mixed ability groups were planned during form time. • Students created a model of a satellite following a design and costing task. • The satellite had to protect the special ‘scientific equipment’ (an egg) from the ‘launch’. • The students were rewarded for good design, maths and science skills and a safe egg! • 15 student winners were selected to attend a tour of the Astrium site. (video)

13. ASTRIUM-World Space Day • Year 5 and 6 students from the local primary were invited to a talk. • Year 7 students involved in a build a rocket activity. • Year 10,11,12 and 13 students invited to attend lectures with hands on features from stem ambassadors working in the field of space design and technology. • Evening lecture inviting students, staff and parents from the three local schools. • Bridget

14. NAS/VIDEOS/ASTRIUM folder.

15. Astrium- the impact • Raised the whole school awareness of STEM. • The staff all commented on the high levels of engagement by the students and gave positive feedback. • ‘This is fabulous I can’t believe we have had this chance today….’’ • ‘’I think we have worked really well as a team I have used my Maths skills and James is brilliant at engineering’’ • ‘’I have learnt so much today, I really hope I get to go the Astrium’’ • We hope to see that it has it increased the uptake of students taking Separate Science. • We have seen a huge increase in the number of students opting for STEM work experience placements.

16. Selex- Robot Wars • Rampaging chariots competition. • All students were invited to Robot Wars STEM club. • Students had to draw on all their STEM skills in a less formal environment. • Mini projects of building cars, electronic bugs led to all students being engaged. • Select the ‘best students’ for the final competition. • Harness the enthusiasm from awide age range of students and teach new stem skills. • Using the guidelines and expert support of a STEM ambassador we had a team of 7 boys to build a robot. • The first Rampaging chariot build required hard work and dedication but it was a success due to the effort and enthusiasm of the boys. • Second in the assault course challenge & each student received a medal. • Working with Sir John Lawes.

17. Selex-The Impact • We received a medal. • Raised the profile of science around the school. • Positive result has inspired more students to join stem club (+girls). • ‘the atmosphere was brilliant, it was cool to see the smart offices and the very high tech lab of such a major company’. • ‘ we were the youngest there and yet we managed to beat a lot of them’. • ‘it was interesting to see the other designs and other ways we could power our robot to make it more efficient and better at the different challenges. • ‘It was brilliant speaking to proper engineers about the circuit boards and power to the motors. They really helped us think about all the options and explained the way these things work.’

18. Rothampsted • Celebrating World Fascination of Plants Day with Sir John Lawes School. • Year 7/8 activity day off site. • Students selected for good work ethic and attitude in science. • Students worked with scientists on plant nutrition and breeding, biodiversity and different uses of plants, for instance for bioenergy. • Interactive displays, and opportunities to talk to research scientists and ask questions. • The students created a biological modelling training video and took part in a competition to design their perfect plant. The Impact • It gave students an insight into the real world of scientific research work and the impact on a global scale. • There were some truly innovative and creative plants designs. • This was an excellent day and helped to promote our partnership with Rothamsted and Sir John Lawes. (video)

19. Aston Martin at Roundwood • Aston Martin staff from STEMNET School support programme gave an excellent talk on the development of the company, details of the unique design of the cars and the career options open to students for the potential for working at Aston martin. • St George’s students attended . • The staff and students had a chance to have a good look at the • £159.000 DB9. • Students from yr 10 who had met or exceeded their target grade • The Impact • The students were truly inspired. • A lucky few will complete work experience • with the firm in the near future. • ‘That was great, fabulous to get so close to the car’ • ‘I learnt so much and discovered how much more there is to • Car design than pencil and paper’ • ‘It was very inspirational and I hope the school could organise something similar in the future’

20. EDT Event Yr 7 • Students taken for a Science day competition with Sir John Lawes. • First Edition is a ‘hands on’ curriculum enrichment day focussed on raising awareness and interest in young people towards Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) both as subjects in their own right and as potential career pathways. • The days are designed to encourage creativity and innovation through practical team based activities allied to extensive problem solving. • 15 bright and enthusiastic scientists from year 7 with an interest and aptitude in science who would not normally attend a trip. The Impact • We are hoping this will again increase up take of science in those groups of students. • The students from different schools had to work together.

21. Other Events Nissan Schools' Engineering Discovery Event • 50 students from Physics and Maths A level. • Nissan Technical Centre Europe (NTCE) is NISSAN’s European R&D Headquarters, based in Cranfield, Bedfordshire and home to over 600 engineers. • The students had a tour of the site and the opportunity to look ‘behind the scenes’ at how they work, and what they do. Roundwood Park Space Day • Year 10 students were given a rather informative and interesting talk on space followed by a lesson looking at various practical examples of things developed in the name of space exploration. • These combined to demonstrate the tangible and amazing results of space, physics and engineering which often seem abstract and distant. Careers Day for Year 11 Students selected to meet/listen to a talk from a range of employers some of which were STEM related.

22. What makes it work? • Hard work and determination • Reap the rewards • Collaboration between staff • Good communication with stem ambassadors • Stemnet liaising with schools, agencies and ambassadors • Flexible timetable • Willing parents to support students • Keen dedicated students domino effect once their eyes are open to the opportunities.

23. Have a go • Choose and activity to try • Build a balloon rocket • Build a satellite

24. Contacts for future • http://www.stemnet.org.uk/ • http://www.nationalstemcentre.org.uk/stem-programme/what-is-stem • http://www.astrium.eads.net/ • http://www.selex-es.com/ • http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/ • http://www.astonmartin.com/

25. Evaluation of STEM so far www • Schools, agencies, ambassadors always positive and enthusiastic. • Students are always engaged, managed correctly all can achieve. • Opens doors for many students. • Accessed by students of all years and abilities. • Uptake of separate sciences has increased. • Massive increase in stem careers work experience. • Applications for wex have been gratefully received and companies have commented that they are some of the best applications they have seen. • Roundwood park staff and students recognise STEM.

26. Evaluation of STEM so far EBI • Difficult to co ordinate dates between schools. • Some staff see it as a burden and are not always positive and enthusiastic. • Teachers becoming more reluctant to let students out of lessons due to exam pressures. • Still more boys than girls opting for separate sciences. • Some students find wex difficult at 15/16 because of health and safety.

27. How it might work with you • Planning for your stem future • Target group • Outcome • Activity or event • Contacts • Staff • Resources • Next Steps

28. Quiz Time • http://www.futuremorph.org/teachers/teaching-resources/stem-careers-quiz/