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A STEM Ambassador's involvement can engage and enthuse both students and teachers. If you are interested in asking a STEM Ambassador to assist you can make your request here. We’ve created brief guides to encourage both STEM Ambassadors and educators to use the self-service. 

PwC STEM Ambassadors at Marshfield Primary School

As part of British Science Week, Isobel Banfield and Geraint Worgan from PwC, attended Marshfield Primary School in Cardiff to deliver a lesson in Technology for Helping People to two Year One classes (approximately 60 children). 

This was the first TechSheCan lesson for both Isobel and Geraint and it was great to work in partnership.  The lesson involved illustrating examples of technology to help the emergency services, healthcare, people with disabilities and the elderly.  The children especially loved hearing about the gravity jet suit and the magnetic slime robot! 

We also watched one of the TechSheCan videos where Katie and Tex explore robotics and AI which the children really enjoyed. The children designed their own robots to help people and we were so inspired and impressed with their designs including a snake robot and a dance teacher robot, which they presented back to their classmates at the end of the lesson.

FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge Regional Finals

See Science were proud to host 3 regional finals of the FIRST^® LEGO^® League Challenge over the past few weeks, one in Pembrokeshire, one in Ebbw Vale and the other for Welsh medium schools in Cardiff.

FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge is a global STEM programme for teams of young people, to encourage an interest in real world themes and develop key skills that are crucial for their future careers. Young people work together to explore a given topic and to design, build and program an autonomous LEGO® robot to solve a series of missions. This year’s topic is Energy.

Over the three regional finals, 40 schools competed and had a lot of fun on the day. Huge congratulations to the three Regional Champions and POB LWC as they go on to represent their regions at the FIRST^® LEGO^® League National Finals in Harrogate later this month!

• Pembrokeshire Champions: Golden Grove School
• South East Wales Champions: Ysgol Derwendeg
• Cardiff Welsh Medium Champions: Ysgol Bro Edern

Thank you to Ysgol Harri Tudur, Willowtown Primary School and Cardiff Commitment for their hospitality and cooperation before and during the events.

Learners apply maths, science, design technology and computing skills and knowledge through the context of farming and agricultural engineering. The pathways lead learners through the engineering design process and embed key issues of environment and sustainability. By thinking as engineers, learners solve problems that make a difference in real-world settings using creativity, imagination and collaboration.

The challenge will run during the academic years of 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, after which time a new Engineering Educates Challenge is anticipated.  Details here.

Great Science Share for Schools. Tuesday 13 June

The Great Science Share for Schools, GSSfS, is an award-winning, annual campaign to inspire 5-14 year olds to ask, investigate and share their scientific questions with new audiences.

GSSfS raises the profile of science in schools and their communities, encouraging young people to be inspired into science and engineering.

An inclusive, non-competitive and collaborative experience for all.

Get involved! All you need to know, including some great resources here.

On Wednesday 19 April, 3.45-4.45pm, Grace Marson, GSSfS Campaign Co-ordinator, will be hosting an online Information and Q&A drop in session, ideal for those new to GSSfS or anyone who would like a refresh! Book here.

​Explorify - Celebrating Scientists. Wednesday 26 April, 4-4.45pm. Online

Role models are vital if we want more children to consider STEM careers. Join us to look at newly-created Explorify Resources - ‘Celebrating Scientists’ - providing teachers with easy-to-use resources which relate the work of scientists to the primary science curriculum.

We now have a new activity type designed to introduce children to important STEM professionals by asking the question, ‘Who is…?’ In true Explorify style, we have made this question accessible to all by providing photographic clues. Each activity links to a range of videos in the ‘Watch’ section with at least one featuring the scientist. Explorify have also partnered with the Royal Society and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to create some new What’s Going On? activities based on STEM professionals.

Book here.

Making toothpaste - a STEM activity for Primary teachers. Wednesday 3 May, 4-5pm. Online

This session will be repeated in Welsh on May 15th.

Bring some chemistry into your primary classroom with this fun, straightforward practical activity.

You will see just how easy it is to make your own toothpaste and we will suggest how your pupils can then investigate the toothpaste to test whether or not it actually works!

Making toothpaste could be a stand alone activity or we'll show you how it could be the start of your pupils' CREST Awards journey.

All those who register will receive an ingredient list beforehand so that you can opt to do the experiment along with us. You will also receive a video of the session afterwards.

Book here for the English session.          Book here for the Welsh session.

STEM Ambassadors: This Is Me. Wednesday 10 May 3.45-4.30pm. Online

This Is Me sessions are an opportunity for teachers to see the benefits of bringing a STEM Ambassador into the classroom.

Teachers will have the opportunity to meet a few STEM Ambassadors and find out about the types of activities they can bring into the classroom. It will offer a chance for teachers to discuss the benefits of bringing STEM Ambassadors into the classroom to support topics and projects that could be covered in the new curriculum for Wales.

*If you are unable to attend this live event but have registered, then a recording of the session will be made available to you.

Book here.

Explorify - The Climate Challenge. Tuesday 23 May, 4-5pm. Online

Tackling the ‘Climate Challenge’- why and how?

An opportunity to discuss objectives specific to climate, biodiversity and pollution continue to evolve and are compared using Explorify Resources.The NAEE (National Association for Environmental Education) launched a manifesto in 2022 to help guide schools to become more sustainable and improve the education that children receive to prepare them for facing environmental challenges in the future. S

We will share Explorify Resources as well as discuss and share other ideas to enable you to implement this in your own classroom. Book here.

Calling Primary Teachers in Wrexham! - Get watching the Wild with Xplore!

Come and get involved in our brand-new biodiversity workshop fully funded by Natural Resources Wales on behalf of Wrexham County Borough Council.

The workshop uses the amazing biodiversity we have around Wrexham to teach learners about their local environment, wildlife habitats and the wonderful world of the tiniest creatures that live in our green spaces. The session begins in our centre with a 45-minute workshop introducing the concept of biodiversity and citizen science. Then leave the centre for a walk to our local green spaces where we will create a survey of the nature in the area. All our schools will receive a Biodiversity kit to take back to school so that learners can continue to learn about the world around them. 

This workshop is 4 hours long and is available for Year 6, limited to 30 learners per school. Workshop available to Wrexham county school bookings only. 

To book your space email bookings@xplorescience.co.uk.

The Royal Society of Biology’s BioArtAttack Competition

The Royal Society of Biology’s BioArtAttack Competition (2D) 2023 (Formerly The Nancy Rothwell Award) is a children’s 2D art drawing and painting competition for 7 – 18 year olds to draw or paint their favourite animal, plant or fungi. The Nancy Rothwell Prize is now a sub-category for specimen drawings entered into this competition.

The competition is now open for submissions, and prizes include £50 for winning students. 

The deadline for entries is 29th July. 

Details here.

Royal Society of Biology Photography Competition 

‘Nature and Climate’ is the theme of this year’s Royal Society of Biology Photography Competition. Life on Earth is affected by the climate, weather and seasonal changes and this year we invite you to capture this.

Your photograph could depict and capture the story of life as it is affected by the climate, weather or seasonal changes, perhaps in an unexpected or changed environment, or showing how the natural world is affected by a changing climate (and weather patterns). We also welcome entries that explore this year’s theme at the molecular or cellular level, illustrating the affects or changes in nature and climate via processes only revealed to us with the aid of a microscope.

There are two categories in the competition, each with a cash prize:

• Photographer of the Year (18 and over) - £1,000 top prize
• Young Photographer of the Year (under 18) - £500 top prize

Closing date June 27.   Details here.

Local School Nature Grants 

What do bird boxes, bee hotels, and nature experts all have in common? They’re all available for free as part of our Local School Nature Grants programme, supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.

Open to schools and early years settings in England, Scotland, and Wales, this outdoor learning grant fund has two elements – £500 of outdoor equipment chosen from a catalogue of over 100 items, and an outdoor learning training course for your staff.

Details here.