Forest Hall Primary School

I am new to the role of science coordinator and I want to raise the profile of STEM subjects across the school. Children need to see the relevance of these subjects and “if they can’t see it they can’t be it.” I want to introduce them to positive role models within the world of STEM and motivate them to develop their knowledge and skills.

I have organised a STEM week in school during the summer term based around incubating, hatching and caring for chicks. In early years and key stage one, the children will observe and record the chicks’ behaviour. They will design packaging for eggs, homes and play areas for the chicks. In maths they will be weighing the chicks and recording changes in graphs and charts. In key stage two the children will be devising experiments to find out which food the chicks prefer and they will also be carrying out lots of related maths investigations. They will be designing and making games and using a range of materials to build different structures. There will also be opportunities for the children to cook eggs in different ways.

The grant will enable us to purchase resources for the children to use and it will also enable us to fund visits out of school to a city farm and local packaging company. Seeing the relevance of STEM subjects beyond the classroom walls will help to inspire the children to consider possible careers within these sectors in the future.