British Science Week: Discovering the wonders of STEM
British Science Week made a triumphant return this year, with the Outreach and Widening Participation teamLink opens in a new window at Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), University of Warwick, delivering a host of inspiring events and activities to spark interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in children across Coventry and beyond.
As an annual celebration of STEM, British Science Week is the perfect time for the team to showcase what it does best: bring science to life, whilst inspiring young people from all backgrounds to explore and engage with STEM.
Working closely with colleagues across the University, including Warwick's Widening Participation teamLink opens in a new window, WMG Outreach delivered ten events - from school visits and hands-on workshops to teacher training - that engaged more than 2,300 students from over 40 schools.
Sparking curiosity in young minds
This year's programme featured an exciting range of activities, including:
- Creative embroidery workshops where pupils used computer code to produce stitched artwork, exploring how digital skills translate into real-world making.
- A Royal Institution masterclass where students acted like real engineers by analysing steel under the microscope, revealing its hidden structures.
- A storytelling session at the University of Warwick nursery, introducing three-year-olds to early concepts in mathematics, coding and computing through playful narratives centred around patterns and sequencing.
There were also several school visits, including an energetic science show at Joseph Cash Primary, where Dr Phil JemmettLink opens in a new window, Widening Participation Coordinator at WMG, captivated a 300-strong audience by bringing STEM to life through exciting demonstrations.
Mrs Ahmed, science lead at Joseph Cash Primary School, applauded the session for having a "hugely positive impact" on pupils by inspiring them to "think more deeply about science and future possibilities.
"Experiences like this are invaluable for strengthening the profile of science in our school and helping pupils see it as something dynamic and full of opportunity."
Meanwhile, at Keresley Grange Primary School, Year 5 pupils were excited to learn what life is like for a WMG academic. Dr Georgios KapogiannisLink opens in a new window, Associate Professor in Project Management, delivered an interactive session that blended engineering and project management concepts with fun activities, leaving the classroom buzzing with curiosity. Children asked thoughtful questions such as "What sort of cooling systems do you use?" and "Do washing machines have motherboards?", demonstrating just how powerful early STEM engagement can be.
Developing skills for tomorrow
Beyond inspiring young learners, British Science Week also provides opportunities to nurture and develop future-fit skills in science. WMG Outreach took part in the Warwickshire Means Business Skills Show to do just that, highlighting the wide range of technical engineering pathways and careers available.
Exhibiting alongside WMG's technical apprenticeshipsLink opens in a new window team and current apprentices, they engaged with over 1,500 Year 7-11 students from 25 schools.
British Science Week isn't just for kids; it's a time to inspire the people who nurture them too. The team also delivered practical training for teachers from The Futures TrustLink opens in a new window, boosting their confidence in using CAD software for 3D printing in the classroom. By the end of the session, teachers were equipped with the technical skills needed to guide students through designing and producing custom components.
From classroom to campus
A highlight of the week was welcoming primary school children to campus for a special engineering day. The event, which was organised by the University's Widening Participation teamLink opens in a new window, featured talks from inspiring WMG academics who introduced pupils to the fascinating world of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Children explored how AI works and is shaping our world, before imagining themselves as the next generation of innovators through real-world problem-solving demonstrations.
The week culminated in a "primary aspirations" event - a vibrant celebration of STEM that brought 245 primary school children from nine local primary schools together for an action-packed science fair and programme of inspiring talks.
Organised by Warwick's Regional Strategy and Partnerships teamLink opens in a new window in collaboration with Warwickshire County Council, the day featured hands-on activities from teams across the University, including interactive engineering challenges by WMG that encouraged students to test ideas and explore big questions.
"British Science Week has been a remarkable celebration of exploration and discovery across our region", said Professor Margaret LowLink opens in a new window, Director of Outreach and Widening Participation at WMG.
"This year's theme, 'Curiosity: what's your question?', resonated throughout every workshop, school visit and campus event, inspiring young people to think boldly, ask deeper questions, and see themselves as future innovators. We are incredibly proud of the impact achieved and deeply grateful for the extraordinary support we received from across WMG and beyond."
