Blwyddyn Newydd Dda - Happy New Year and welcome to the  latest STEM newsletter  for Secondary Schools and FE Colleges from your local STEM Ambassador Hub. 

We have been busy working with Ambassadors to support school events as well and community events and online webinars during November and December but we rely on your requests.
Please post requests for STEM Ambassadors on the dashboard and we will do our best to ensure that we are able to fulfill the offer. For more information  go to www.stem.org.uk/stem-ambassadors/request-stem-ambassador.We are  looking forward to another busy half term and will be highlighting resources, competitions, grants and sharing more details of local STEM events in your area and online. 

There are several new STEM engagement opportunities available for the forthcoming half term. STEM Ambassadors are still keen to offer as many enrichment opportunities as possible to learners and we welcome requests for STEM Ambassadors to help with any enrichment opportunity - please contact us directly to discuss your individual need.

Please encourage new colleagues to register with STEM Learning in order to receive the See Science newsletter in the future using the link www.stem.org.uk/user/register and then opt to receive newsletters.

See Science have a facebook page where we will also be sharing lots of new ideas regularly - please like or follow the page.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if we can support the teaching of STEM subjects.

With best wishes,
The See Science Team

News from your STEM Ambassador Partner in Wales

Rolls Royce Schools – Science and Technology Prize


Ysgol y Graig Primary School in Cefn Coed, Merthyr Tydfil, were really excited to be
announced as finalists in the Rolls Royce Schools - Science and Technology Prize Awards
2024. The school’s ‘Bwyd am Bawb’ project gained them one of the finalist places. A team of staff from the school recently attended the awards ceremony, which was held at Rolls Royce headquarters in Derby.
The ’Bwyd am Bawb’ project was developed, after the school successfully received £6,000 of funding from Rolls Royce. The funding was used to create an onsite allotment, which all
children and staff within the school have been involved in planting, maintaining and
harvesting. The project created a wealth of opportunities and experiences in developing
STEM within the school, from looking at environmental science, research and budgeting
tasks, as well as the designing and engineering of raised planters. ‘Bwyd am Bawb’ has also been significantly supported by outside agencies, such as STEM ambassadors and experts from local companies and businesses, which has created opportunities for the children to gain knowledge about possibly future career paths.
The project has also benefited the local community, as produce grown in the allotment has
been donated to local struggling families. As the project continues to grow overtime, the
produce grown will be used for cooking opportunities within the school’s STEM curriculum,
that will be sold cheaply to struggling families and local residents. Profit made from the
sales of meals, as well as produce being sold in a farmers’ market, will be put towards
purchasing seeds, compost and additional tools for the following years. “As the project
develops and grows over the years, we hope that with their increased knowledge and
experience, the children will take full ownership of the project and plan, implement and run
the project themselves” - Matthew Howells, Project Lead.
Mr David Anstee, Headteacher said - “The Rolls Royce project has significantly enhanced
STEM learning at our Ysgol Y Graig, leading to increased pupil engagement and the
development of essential skills like critical thinking and problem-solving. The project fosters a community-wide appreciation for STEM.”
Melfyn Jones, School Governor and local resident said - “In my opinion, this project theme is rather innovative in its ability to positively link to the school's STEM curriculum and also to bring together parents and other members of the community to work together to bring
about its success.”
The Rolls Royce funding has provided the school with an amazing facility, which has
developed a wealth of learning experiences and opportunities. The project is fully
embedded within the school’s STEM curriculum and will continue to develop and grow for
many years to come.
The competition is open to both primary and secondary schools across the UK and you will be able to register your interst for the 2025 competition - more infomation here https://careers.rolls-royce.com/united-kingdom/stem/science-prize/#why-a-teaching-prize

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National Astronomy Week (1-9 February 2025) is coming!


National Astronomy Week 2025 runs from 1-9 February and is supported by the Royal Astronomical Society, British Astronomical Association, Federation of Astronomical Societies, and Society for Popular Astronomy.
The night sky will be full of interest, and we will be chasing the Moon across the sky to find a new theme each day until the Moon arrives at Mars on 9 February.

As well as events run by organisations including visitor centres, observatories and amateur astronomical societies, there is a national planetarium show that anyone can deliver, downloadable resources including a printable sheet for recording Moon observations, live telescope streaming, social media resources/activities, links to National Storytelling Week (with a story just for us!), and much, much more. Highlight events and resources will start appearing on the website from this week. 

Events: If you are running a public event/activity during the week, you can now register it through our website to have it appear on the NAW events listings/map (and also on the Go Stargazing website). Events listed in Wales can be seen here: https://astronomyweek.org.uk/event-map-by-date/

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International Day of Women and Girls in Science February 11th 2025

International Day of Women and Girls in Science is an annual observance that celebrates the achievements and contributions of women and girls in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This day recognizes the importance of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in the scientific community. In this article, we will explore what International Day of Women and Girls in Science represents, when it occurs, its significance, and how it is observed

International Day of Women and Girls in Science is observed on February 11th each year. This date was chosen to honor the birthday of Marie Curie, a pioneering physicist and chemist who made groundbreaking contributions to the fields of radioactivity and nuclear physics. Marie Curie remains an inspirational figure for women in science. More information  here

Find out more events

Find Out About Royal Society Partnership Grants 28 January 12.30pm -1pm

Join us for a 30-minute introduction from the Royal Society about how you can support schools to apply for funding, and partner with the schools to have real impact. The Royal Society offer funding to schools to collaborate with a STEM Partner (you! – or your company) to run an investigative project for students. You can be instrumental in letting schools know about the fund they can access as well as working with them to make lasting impact for the students. STEM Partners need to be working in a STEM role and willing to collaborate with the school at regular intervals over a minimum of 1 school term, but all STEM Ambassadors are welcome to join this talk to find out more. This is an information session for STEM Ambassadors, no prep or further commitment needed. To book go here

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Find out about British Science Week 4 February 12.30pm - 1pm

Join us for a 30-minute session about British Science Week and how you can get involved. British Science Week runs from 7-16th March 2025 and is a celebration of all things STEM. This session will run through some of the free resources available for you to use from the British Science Association and talk about how you can get involved with volunteering during British Science Week! Book here

Events in Wales

Cardiff Science Festival - Cardiff  22 February  11am - 3pm 
Cardiff Science Festival - University of South Wales - Atrium Cardiff  26 February  11am - 3pm

Cardiff Science Festival takes over Wales’ capital to inspire and educate. We showcase science, technology, engineering and maths, integrating them into the capital city of Wales. The four-day festival spreads throughout Cardiff’s libraries, cafes, bars and streets, with hidden events for your to discover.Our aim is to celebrate science, technology, engineering and maths, and how they affect our every day lives. We bring science to you, with a range of events that are guaranteed to captivate and teach you something new.Cardiff is a hub for science research and world-renowned science communicators. By following our map around the city, you can learn something new from the best researchers and communicators, right on your doorstep. More information here

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The Physics Mentoring Project are excited to be recruiting for the second year of our A-level Physics Mentoring in Wales called Physics Mentoring – Advanced Connections.  

This year-long online tutoring and mentoring opportunity is free for year 12 students studying Physics in state-funded Welsh schools.  

Advanced Connections will run alongside students’ A-level studies. Students will receive academic tutorials that support the A-level curriculum around physics skills, as well as mentoring sessions that provide information about applying, preparing for, and experiencing university.  

This project is for current year 12 students studying physics A-level, who are interested in studying physical sciences at university.  

To find out more about Physics Mentoring – Advanced Connections then click on the SWAY link below. This will take you to the teachers information page and contains links to the student information for your students and the application form. Applications close on 16th January 2025.

Student information: https://sway.cloud.microsoft/BHELVINYrqv9S6Bd
Teacher information: https://sway.cloud.microsoft/fHE5NHKHbAIf5ZHC
Pictures Neon Futures; Cardiff University

 

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Energy Quest is back - Put students at the heart of the action with Energy Quest

Designed for secondary students aged 11 to 14, this free interactive workshop

embeds learning about energy sources and energy transfer, and sees students put themselves in the shoes of engineers to design a solution to power a mobile phone.They’re challenged to save the day as they meet real engineers and are supported to explore their own skills sets as they learn to use the engineering design process.

 

Sound like fun? It’s more than that. Energy Quest is:

-          Curriculum linked, covering energy sources and energy transfer

-          An easy way to deliver real world context STEM 

-          A way to develop aspirations, teamworking and resilience

-          Inspirational and a brilliant opportunity to introduce students to relatable role models
Energy Quest is a 2-hour workshop, which can be delivered twice in one day at your school by a trained facilitator. Delivery will also include teacher CPD
It can be requested for a group of up to 30 students.Please email to book or for more information. You can find the Energy Quest website 
here

 

National Events

2025 ASE Annual Conference at the University of Nottingham 9 January 2025 - 11 January 2025

The ASE’s Annual Conference, this year sponsored by AQA, is the UK’s largest science education conference gathering together science educators from across the education spectrum. The three days include over 250 sessions with keynotes, speakers and workshops, along with a fantastic exhibition of science education organisations and resource suppliers, social events and more.

*Early bird tickets are now live - Book your tickets now and secure ASE Member rate of just £99 for one day, with ASE Student Member tickets (trainees/ECTs) available for just £25 per day. More information here

Other events

Big Schools’ Birdwatch 2025 7 January 14 February  2025

Big Schools’ Birdwatch is back for 2025! Join thousands of other schools to find out which birds visit your school grounds. Together, we can make it count.Sign up today and you’ll be directed to all our online resources enabling you and your class to take part in Big Schools’ Birdwatch.All our resources support curriculum learning, including providing you with historical records of Big Schools’ Birdwatch, so you can compare what you see. All resources are available bilingually for schools in Wales.Why not make Big Schools’ Birdwatch the first step you take to find out about the nature on your school grounds? Complete five more challenges and you can gain your Bronze Wild Challenge award. More information here

Competitions

First Lego League 2024-2025

2024-25 FIRST LEGO League SUBMERGED season has officially begun!

This season, children will learn about how and why people explore the oceans. Our discoveries beneath the ocean surface teach us how this complex ecosystem supports a healthy future for the plants and animals that live there.. We are really excited to see all of the amazing and creative ideas that we know will be produced this season. We will be hosting 4 competitions in Wales 
Ebbw Vale: 27 March 2025
Cardiff: 13 March 2025
Pembrokeshire: 22 March 2025
Merthyr Tydfil: 11 March 2025
If you would like more information please contact enquiries@see-science.co.uk

Schools can apply for FIRST LEGO League Funding Packages. More information here
 

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Join Climate Detectives

Did you know you can make a difference in understanding and protecting planet Earth? Join Climate Detectives, a project run by ESA and ESERO! Your investigation can focus on climate change but also on everything about our planet Earth and its care: the environment, sustainable ways of living, biodiversity, air quality, forests, oceans and much more. Be curious and become a Climate Detective! Together, student detectives are working to protect our planet!

Teams can choose between two levels of engagement. 

By participating in the new beginner’s category, Climate Detectives Kids, teams can complete fun hands-on activities, and earn badges to become a certified detective of climate and the Earth!

For a bigger challenge, teams can complete a full investigation of their choice: identify the problem they want to analyse, collect data, and share their results with the Climate Detectives community. Selected teams will be invited for an exciting learning and celebration event at the end of this school year! Find out more here

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 IET Faraday® Challenge Days 2025/26 season

This annual competition consists of free, STEM activity days that introduce students to engineering, inspire them to consider engineering as a career and help to develop their practical and employability skills, including team-working, problem-solving and creative thinking.

The Challenge Day is designed to be cross-curricular covering science, technology, engineering and maths.

Each Challenge Day gives six teams of six students, aged 12 to 13 years (England and Wales), the opportunity to research, design and make prototype solutions to real-world engineering problems.

Through our charitable section, and funding from external supporters, we’re able to provide IET Faraday® Challenge Days free-of-charge to UK schools. Apply now

Grants and Awards

RSB School Biology Teacher of the Year Award

Do you know an amazing school biology teacher who deserves an award? Students and students’ parents or guardians, and schools’ governors, science technicians, or members of their management team can now suggest a teacher for the Royal Society of Biology’s School Biology Teacher of the Year Award by 10th January 2025. The teachers suggested will be invited to nominate themselves by 24th January 2025. Please visit the Royal Society of Biology’s website for further information. Teachers in the UK can also contact Dr Amanda Hardy to discuss ideas or to suggest a teacher to nominate themselves or a colleague by completing our full nomination form themselves by 24th January 2025.

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Royal Society of Chemistry Funding for Chemistry Clubs

The funds are targeted at activities run at schools/ colleges Royal Society of Chemistryoutside 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. Details here.

 

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ambassadors@see-science.co.uk
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