Dear STEM Teachers,
Welcome to the Spring edition of STEM news, highlighting lots of opportunities for yourself and your
students to take part in STEM activities. We are happy to talk through any of the opportunities on
this list, just get in touch at ellie@graphicscience.co.uk
Opportunities for Students
Opportunities for Teachers
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS:
STEM Clubs Week
Biology Challenge
All Aboard Competition
Nuffield Research Placements
Robots vs. Animals
Atkins Work Experience
British Science Week
I’m a Scientist, I’m an Engineer
Maths Inspiration Lectures
Your Green Future
Big Bang South West
nQuire-it
STEM Clubs Week 2nd-6th February
STEM Clubs Week is for all secondary schools throughout the UK! The theme is Celebrating Diversity,
check it out on Twitter #STEMClubsWeek
STEM Clubs Competition
All STEM Clubs can enter this national competition to win £200 of vouchers for their STEM Club!
STEM Clubs can submit photos or videos and a 50 word description of their activity at
http://www.stemclubs.net/stem-clubs-week-2015/ with images or videos of their STEM Club activity
carried out in STEM Clubs Week. Prizes will be awarded for the most creative approaches to the
following:

Most unusual activity

Best activity involving the most people

Best all-STEM activity (cross STEM departments)
Photos and videos sent in are being made into a gallery that you can see here:
http://www.stemclubs.net/gallery/.
Ambassadors into STEM Clubs
We have recently had a number of STEM Ambassadors contact us regarding working with
extracurricular STEM-themed clubs. They can often mentor students, help with projects, share their
specialist knowledge or just lend a helping hand. Recently we’ve had STEM Ambassadors help run an
engineering breakfast club, high-speed camera workshops and Raspberry Pi coding clubs. Get in
touch if you’d like to discuss how STEM Ambassadors can support your existing club, or help you
start a new one.
Biology Challenge - Open to students aged 13 – 15, Biology Challenge tests your student’s biology
knowledge! Questions will be set on the school curriculum but will also reward students who have
shown enthusiasm for the subject by watching natural history programmes, or are aware of our
natural flora and fauna. The Challenge consists of two, 30 minute online papers and will take place in
schools from 2nd - 27th March 2015. Please register by 27th February 2015 via:
https://www.societyofbiology.org/biology-challenge
All Aboard Competition
The All Aboard Competition is run by the Transport System’s Catapult on behalf of the Department
for Transport. The Challenge is for students aged 14-18 years old to come up with innovative
solutions to make buses more accessible for people with visual or hearing impairments. There are
exciting prizes and the chance to go to the National Big Bang Fair. The closing date is 13th February.
For more information go to http://www.theallaboardcompetition.co.uk/
Student Placement: Nuffield Research Placements
Year 12 students can apply for 4-6 week research placements over the summer, where they have the
opportunity to work with scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians to conduct their
own research-based project. Students who have been in receipt of Free School Meals may be eligible
for an additional bursary. Deadline: 27th February. To apply, students should go to
www.nuffieldresearchplacements.org, or for more support you can get in touch with us directly.
Robots vs Animals Zoo visit – Bristol Zoo, 25th February, 5th March *new date*, 18th March, 21st April
2015. The Bristol Robotics Lab have teamed up with Bristol Zoo to create unique sessions for Year
8/9 students. Zoo staff and robotics engineers will teach the students about biomimicry and how
robotics research can learn from studying animals. Students will get to interact with a range of
animals and cutting edge robotics research as they decide which are better, robots or animals?! For
more information: http://robotsvsanimals.net/schools-programme/
Robots vs Animals competition - Key Stages 2-5 are invited to design their own animal-inspired
robot to win robotics prizes for their school or STEM club. Students answer the challenge “What
amazing animal ability would you use to design a useful robot?” The competition is aimed at
encouraging creativity and inspiring nature-lovers to engage with engineering. Designs can be
drawn, described (or made!). The closing date is 18th May 2015. Winning designs will be exhibited at
the Festival of Nature in Bristol, June 2015. For more information:
http://robotsvsanimals.net/competition/
Atkins work experience
If your Year 10 students are interested in work experience at Atkins, the deadline for applications is
the 1st March. They will be running two weeks from 29th June – 10th July. There will be a similar
opportunity for Year 12 students (date tbc). For more information or an application form please get
in touch.
British Science Week, 13th -22nd March
British Science Week (formerly National Science and Engineering Week) is a great opportunity to get
your students excited about STEM. Check out the website for events, activity ideas and resources to
download: http://britishscienceweek.org/
If you’d like to discuss your ideas with us and the possibility of STEM Ambassadors supporting your
activities, please get in touch as soon as possible!
I’m a Scientist, I’m an Engineer
I'm a Scientist and I'm an Engineer will be running during British Science Week this March and again
during June. For two weeks your students can take part in live text-based chats with real scientists
and engineers in the free, online events. The online nature of the event helps to give all students a
voice, and encourages students to ask the questions they might not be confident asking in front of
the whole class. You can find out more information and apply at the links below.
For more information about registering for the June events, take a look at
http://imascientist.org.uk/teachers and http://imanengineer.org.uk/teachers. If you have any
questions, or would like more information you can contact Josh at josh@gallomanor.com, or call
01225 326 892.
Maths Inspiration
The popular Maths Inspiration lectures return to the Bristol Hippodrome on Monday 23rd March.
The interactive lectures are aimed at Sixth Form students and able Year 11s. Tickets are £7.50 each.
For more information and to book please go to http://mathsinspiration.com/spring-2015-events
Your Green Future, University of the West of England – 19th / 20th May 2015
Bristol / South Gloucestershire students (aged 13-19) will have the opportunity to work with over 30
businesses, exploring career opportunities in a low carbon, resilient future. Interactive activities are
suitable for all curriculum subjects and designed to build personal, social and life skills. Places are
free, find out more and book at http://yourgreenfuture.org.uk/events/west-england-2015 or email
Cecily@swea.co.uk
Big Bang Fair South West, Exeter University – 25th June 2015
Featuring explosive theatre shows and engaging, immersive activities, the Fair is more than just a
great day out! It’s an opportunity to meet some of the South West’s leading scientists, technologists,
engineers and mathematicians, and to discover how school subjects can lead to fantastic, rewarding
careers. Plus, if your students have any sort of STEM-based project they would like to enter for the
National Science + Engineering Competition then bring it along - all for free! To register, visit
http://nearme.thebigbangfair.co.uk/South_west/
nQuire-it
This resource has been created by the Open University and is an opportunity for students to create
and join scientific missions that help them to explore the world around them. Go to the website for
more information and to take a look at the missions: http://www.nquire-it.org/#/home
OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS
STEM Planning
Teacher Placements
Free Geosciences Training
ASE Teachmeet
STEM Directories Grant
Engineering Education Grant Scheme (EEGS)
STEM Planning
Over the past year we have worked with a number of schools to help them develop a STEM plan for
the year, either for a STEM club or for a whole year group, Key Stage or even the whole school. A
STEM plan can help take the pressure off individual teachers, helps identify gaps in provision and
collates all the proposed STEM enrichment activities in the school into one place. Below is an
example plan that we have written with one school:
STEM Club
Plan 2014-15
Term 1
Term 2
Term 3
Term 4
Term 5
Term 6
Activity
Long Project eg
Go4Set
STEM Careers
& Options
British
Science
Week
Topic:
Sustainability
Enrichment
week
(Example
Topic:
Technology)
Content
Team working
project that will be
judged at the end.
Include
development of
core skills e.g. team
working, project
and time
management
Speed
Networking
Programme
of activities
for different
year groups
eg
Talks
Robotics
Renewable
Energy
3D Printing
(loan from
Graphic
Science)
Careers talks
Tea with a
Scientist
Practical
Action: Beat
the Flood
Free Event:
Your Green
Future
Raspberry Pi
Brunel Loan
Boxes
Examples of
projects:
Go4SET
Flying Start
Challenge
Faraday Challenges
BP STEM
Challenges
STEM
Team paired with
Ambassadors Ambassadors from
a local company
Range of
ambassadors
to highlight
different
careers
Engineers to
support
design and
make
activities
Engineers
from energy
sector
Computer
scientists,
enthusiasts
Please get in touch if you would like us to work with you to help you develop your own plan.
Teacher Industrial Partner’s Scheme (TIPS)
TIPS is a new joint initiative between education and industry that gives teachers an authentic
experience of what takes place in modern engineering and technological organisations. Teachers will
be placed in a local organisation for two weeks and get to experience many different parts of the
business. The fee to take part is £360, but teachers from state-maintained schools can receive an
ENTHUSE Award bursary of £1400 to help with supply costs. To find out more please go to
www.slcs.ac.uk/go/nat/tips .
FREE Training: Geoscience Education Academy 2015
Free training is being offered to all Science and Geography teachers to help support teaching in
Geosciences. The course runs from 23rd-26th July in London, with accommodation and expenses
being paid. For more information or to book please go to http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/gea
ASE Teachmeet
Wednesday 25th February, Abbeywood School, Bristol, 5pm – 6:30pm
Come along to this informal gathering run by the Association for Science Education for anyone
enthusiastic about science teaching and wanting to share ideas. For more information and to sign-up
visit http://teachmeet.pbworks.com/w/page/88929374/Copy%20of%20ASE%20West%20TeachM
Grants for Enriching STEM activities
The Ri and The Causeway Foundation are offering schools up to £500 to take part in an Enrichment
and Enhancement (E&E) STEM activity from the STEM Directories before July 2015. This is an exciting
opportunity for students to take part in a mathematics activity and help integrate mathematics
enrichment in school practice. The Scheme is now open and the deadline for applications is 9th
February 2015 at 5pm. For more information and to apply, visit the STEM Directories website.
Engineering Education Grant Scheme (EEGS)
A new grant scheme from The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the Institution of
Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), offering up to £5,000 (or even £15,000 for special projects) The
scheme is there to support projects that bring about a better understanding of the role of the
engineer and the contribution engineering makes to society. Closing date for applications 3rd March.
http://www.imeche.org/knowledge/themes/education/engineering-education-grant-scheme-EEGS