Ask a STEM Ambassador to visit your school

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

• Video guide for teachers and group leaders 

The  video guide outlines how to use the web platform  and  helps teachers and group leaders find the right STEM Ambassador for their activity.

Give us your Ambassador feedback

If an Ambassador has visited your school, or if you have met an Ambassador at an enrichment activity, we would be very grateful if you could fill in our teacher feedback form. Please encourage colleagues to respond.

‘Thank you for the opportunity to support your "Wild Wood"; theme as a STEM Ambassador. I found the trip very well organised and a fun way of learning for the children. I am all for practical ways of learning as I know how much more information is retained by physical activities. The children were very well mannered and how the teachers  encouraged the children was lovely to see. I can see why some of the children love coming to school.’ Kevin Perry Logistics AR & M Engineer BMT Defences Ltd
Thank you very much on behalf of all the staff and children involved in our visit to Bushcraft Adventures, for your support with a very successful learning experience.
The children have been enthused by the outdoor practical activities which has allowed them to be fully engaged in our Wild Wood theme.
Your help on the day of our trip was much appreciated and our school would be very
grateful for any further support you could give us with future STEM activities.’
Elaine Thomas

This arrangement allowed pupils more individual attention and STEM Ambassadors a better quality of interaction and control over the session.
Topics included: SureChill Thermal Flow, Making a Lemon Fruit Battery, Lego learning kits,
Pfizers ‘From Molecule to medicine’ workshop, DVLA Coding programmes, CGI Robots,
Magnets and Mechanics.
Teacher Rachael Webbe was absolutely delighted with the response of her Year 5 pupils –
learning outcomes were high and pupils thoroughly engaged throughout.
Racheal commented that pupils had thanked her for choosing them for ‘the best day trip
ever’!
STEM Ambassadors also commented on the exemplary behaviour and politeness of pupils. A very successful formula to be repeated soon we hope!

Visitors had a chance to pot their own plants with hands on engagement. Following a request several STEM Ambassadors took part and helped the RSB deliver a very full day of engagement. Phillipa Skett of the RSB sent a warm message of thanks

‘A huge thank you this weekend for volunteering with us at Conwy Feast.
 We had an amazing time, and I hope you enjoyed yourselves!
 It was lovely to meet you all and Raghav and I had a great time getting to know you all throughout the weekend.
 We spoke to approximately 700 people across the two days, and potted probably thousands of seeds in the process’. 

ASE Cymru Conference  16 November. National Museum Cardiff - Adventures in Science
 

The Association for Science Education annual regional conference will have a very special guest this year! Coinciding with the arrival of certain very famous dinosaur skeleton - thanks to Dippy on Tour: A Natural History Adventure - the ASE Cymru Wales Conference will take place on 16 November at the National Museum in Cardiff.

One of the CPD highlights of the year in the region, this event - this year entitled Adventures in Science - is all about helping science educators embrace the most effective teaching strategies to help our students/pupils be inspired by science and learn to their full potential.

We have curated a rich programme of seminars and workshops. With strands covering both primary and secondary education, the day will be packed full of insightful thinking and knowledge sharing. From a keynote on Altitude and Attitude from Tori James - the first Welsh woman to climb Mt Everest - to an exploration into the science of dinosaurs with Cindy Howells, curator of palaeontology at the museum.

Please book here or for more information contact cerianangharad@ase.org.uk
 

Read our guidance on how to request a STEM Ambassador to support you and your entry.
BP has also designed a range of free curriculum-linked resources for pupils aged 9-14 that will help you deliver exciting science lessons and inspire entries for this year’s competition.
There are some brilliant prizes up for grabs including:

• two lucky schools will win £750 to spend on school equipment or field trips
• attend an exclusive, all expenses paid experience at a one-day Hackathon
• meet real scientists, coders and designers to help bring their ideas to life

The deadline for entries is 14 January 2020.

Royal Society of Chemistry. - Funding for Chemistry Clubs
The funds are targeted at activities run at schools/ colleges outside the normal science timetable which may be focused on generating interest in chemistry in all ability levels or which may provide opportunities to stretch and challenge the already able and motivated.  

Applications from existing chemistry clubs looking to expand/ enhance activities would be welcome as would those from colleagues interested in starting a club.  

An application would need to indicate how the longevity of the proposal was ensured and how best practice and experience from it might be shared within and between other (perhaps feeder) schools.  The application will be made by a teacher at a primary or secondary school for sums up to £1000.
Next closing date. 15 November 2019   Details here.

D&T Excellence Awards 2020
The 20th Design and Technology Excellence Awards nominations are now open. 
The prestigious awards ceremony will be held at The Institution of Engineering and Technology, London on Friday 20th March 2020 hosted by the D&T Association and The Institution of Engineering  and Technology. The awards give professional recognition to individuals nominated by their colleagues for their unique work in design and technology education across the categories.
The award nomination categories for the 20th Design and Technology Excellence Awards are listed below. We had an outstanding number of nominations last year and it is really positive to see all the hard work that takes place in our D&T classrooms. If you made a nomination for last years' award ceremony and your candidate was not successful, they will automatically go into the nominations for this year.
You can nominate online by clicking here  or you can fill in the nominations form which can be found below and either email it to Neesha Mistry (neesha.mistry@data.org.uk)