Members' Blogs

Weekly news round up: 21/4/26

By Tim Bradbury posted 13 days ago
The Week in Education: What mattered for STEM teachers 15 - 21 April 2026 • UK education, STEM-first (but not STEM-only) A teacher-facing long-read that joins the dots across Schools Week, Tes, FE Week, Sky News and the EEF. Duplicates removed; links included so you can dig deeper. 1) School food standards: a big policy change with very real classroom knock-ons The proposed overhaul of school food standards stayed at the top of the agenda this week – not because anyone is against healthier food, but because implementation questions are piling up fast: cost, capacity, uptake, and fairness . Caterers told Schools Week that if government wants menus ...

What can oracy and AI do for education?

By Shameel Khan posted 13 days ago
Download Booklet 1: What is Real ? Here (Log in using your username and password). We follow one question from a four-year-old spotting a shark on a discovery table to a fourteen-year-old debating deepfake responsibility. In KS1, children learn to question what they see. By KS2, they are spotting manipulation. At KS3: not just can I spot a fake, but what should we do about it? School is a place where people and ideas meet. It’s a safe space to explore difference, and where young people can come to discuss the world around them. That world is increasingly digital, distancing children from meaningful human connections. The ...

Help shape a new Plant Health zine from Fera

By Tim Bradbury posted 18 days ago
Scientists at Fera are looking for feedback from teachers on a new draft eZine all about plant health, and we would love to help them gather views from the STEM Community. The eZine has been created for GCSE and A level students and covers a wide range of plant health topics, including pests, diseases, diagnostics, insects, bacteria, fungi, viruses, seeds and trees. It uses a bright, illustrated format to introduce students to the science behind plant health and the careers linked to it. This is still a draft version, so some of the illustrations are finished while others are still in sketch form. At this stage, Fera are particularly keen to hear from teachers ...

International Girls in ICT Day: helping more girls see their place in computing

By Tim Bradbury posted 18 days ago
International Girls in ICT Day takes place on the 23rd April 2026. It is a useful opportunity for schools to stop and think about how girls experience computing, digital learning and technology-related careers. The day is led globally by the International Telecommunication Union and takes place each year on the fourth Thursday in April, with a focus on encouraging girls and young women to explore ICT and consider future pathways in the field. It's a chance to celebrate what is possible, challenge outdated stereotypes and, most importantly to help more girls see that there is a place for them in this space. If you are looking for a good place to start, take ...

Our friends at Neon (EUK Education), are looking for your help

By Tim Bradbury posted 19 days ago
Our friends at Neon , part of EUK Education (Engineering UK) , are looking for your help Neon helps teachers and educators find high-quality STEM activities to inspire young people, and the team are looking for feedback from those who use the platform. If you’ve used Neon, this is a good opportunity to share what works well, what could be improved, and what you’d like to see in future. Feedback from previous surveys has helped shape updates to the platform since it launched in 2020, so it is a genuine chance to influence its development. The survey takes around 5 to 10 minutes to complete, and as a thank you, you can choose to enter a prize draw to win ...

Unlocking Student Creativity This World Creativity & Innovation Day

By Tim Bradbury posted 19 days ago
As schools across the UK prepare to mark World Creativity and Innovation Week (15–21 April) and Creativity and Innovation Day on 21 April , many teachers are looking for meaningful ways to help young people stretch their imaginations and develop original ideas. To support this, Samsung is offering a suite of free, ready‑to‑use resources through its Solve for Tomorrow programme - designed to inspire creative confidence and encourage students to develop tech‑for‑good solutions to real‑world challenges. Celebrating a Global Moment for Imagination World Creativity and Innovation Day (WCID) is an international celebration recognising creativity ...

Weekly news round up: 14/4/26

By Tim Bradbury posted 20 days ago
The Week in Education: What mattered for STEM teachers 8–14 April 2026 • UK education, STEM-first (but not STEM-only) A teacher-facing long-read that joins the dots across Schools Week, Tes, FE Week, Sky News and government/sector updates. Duplicates removed; links included. 1) School food standards: a major shake-up (and a very “STEM-y” one) This week’s biggest cross-outlet story was the proposed overhaul of school food standards in England, with a consultation now live. The headline changes focus on cutting deep-fried and high-sugar options, increasing fruit/veg, pulses and wholegrains, and strengthening compliance. You don’t need to be a food ...

Exciting opportunities for students from Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

By Tim Bradbury posted 20 days ago
On behalf of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory: We are really looking forward to our upcoming talks, and hope you’ll be able to join us! We’ll be looking at the fascinating Vera C Rubin Observatory, having a family-focused talk and activities with our friends at the Rosalind Franklin Institute and taking a look at dandelions and their unexpected connection to batteries! Talking Science: The Vera C. Rubin Observatory – Friday 17 April 19:15-20:15 (at the lab and online) To reserve tickets, please visit: https://Vera-Rubin.eventbrite.co.uk. Please do note the slightly later start-time of this event! The Vera C. Rubin Observatory ...

Weekly news round up: 07/04/26

By Tim Bradbury posted 27 days ago
The Week in Education: What mattered for STEM teachers 1–7 April 2026 • UK education, STEM-first (but not STEM-only) A teacher-facing long-read that joins the dots across Schools Week, Tes, FE Week, Sky News and the EEF. Duplicates removed; links included so you can dig deeper. Big themes this week School culture and safety (pupil violence, misogyny and online influence) are firmly on the agenda. Careers support is being reshaped (new national service proposals) at the same time as FE grapples with “losing students in the system”. Trust governance and policy clarity are under scrutiny (confidentiality clauses, what the White Paper ...

Focus of the Month: Exam Preparation

By Tim Bradbury posted 01-04-2026
With the summer exam season just around the corner, this month’s Focus of the Month is all about Exam Preparation. For many learners this is a high pressure time. For educators it is about balancing curriculum coverage with targeted revision, supporting confidence while maintaining momentum, and making sure every pupil has the best possible chance to succeed. Where to start: preparing learners, not just content One of the most useful starting points is our STEM Community Live session on preparing learners for exams. While this is a throwback session, the strategies are as relevant now as ever. Watch here: https://community.stem.org.uk/blogs/tim-bradbury1/2022/04/14/episode-3-preparing-learners-for-exams ...

Weekly news round up: 31/3/26

By Tim Bradbury posted 31-03-2026
The Week in Education: What mattered for STEM teachers 25 - 31 March 2026 • UK education, STEM-first (but not STEM-only) A teacher-facing long-read that pulls together the key stories (duplicates removed) and translates them into practical implications for science, maths, computing and DT. Each story has a direct link so you can dig deeper. 1) Inclusion is the headline: schools are being asked to publish an inclusion strategy (and show their working) If last month was about the White Paper, this week was about the first wave of “OK, so what does that actually mean for schools?”. Both Schools Week and Tes summarised new expectations on inclusion, ...

Weekly news round up: 24/03/26

By Tim Bradbury posted 24-03-2026
The Week in Education: What mattered for STEM teachers 18–24 March 2026 • UK education, STEM-first (but not STEM-only) A teacher-facing long-read bringing together key stories (duplicates removed) and translating them into classroom and departmental implications for science, maths, computing and DT. 1) “Crisis of truth” in classrooms: conspiracy theories, misinformation and AI deepfakes This was the standout “learning culture” story of the week: Schools Week reported that pupils are increasingly bringing conspiracy theories and misinformation into school, with staff in focus groups describing examples tied to current affairs and online narratives. ...

Focus of the month: AI and the environment: a conversation worth having in schools

By Tim Bradbury posted 19-03-2026
AI is everywhere at the moment. We are talking about it in relation to workload, planning, assessment, creativity, feedback and the future of teaching. But one question is coming up more and more often and it is one we cannot ignore, ' What is the environmental impact of AI?' That was the focus of the latest STEM Community Live: AI Sprints session , where Alex More was joined by Rita Bateson, Stephen Taylor and Mark Langley for a thoughtful discussion about what sits behind the apparently effortless experience of using AI tools. While AI can feel instant, easy and invisible, the systems powering it are anything but. Looking beyond the prompt When ...

Neurodiversity Celebration Week: building belonging in computing

By Tim Bradbury posted 18-03-2026
As part of Neurodiversity Celebration Week , it is a timely reminder that inclusive practice does not just benefit some learners, it improves computing education for all. At the first I Belong Conference, held on 11 March 2026, educators, leaders and experts came together to explore how every young person can feel a genuine sense of belonging in computing. Across keynote presentations, workshops and panel discussions, one message came through clearly: inclusion needs to be designed in from the start. The conference explored practical approaches to supporting learners with a wide range of needs, including neurodiverse learners, through thoughtful curriculum ...

Uncover the stories behind maths: enter the BSHM Schools Prize 2025–26

By Tim Bradbury posted 17-03-2026
Maths is full of stories, and some of the most interesting ones sit well beyond the pages of a textbook. That is what makes the British Society for the History of Mathematics (BSHM) Schools Prize 2025–26 such a strong opportunity to share with students. Open to schools in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, the competition has two age categories: 11–15 and 16–19. This year’s theme is Ethnomathematics, inviting students to explore mathematical ideas, patterns and practices found in traditional cultures and communities, particularly those that sit outside the usual boundaries of school mathematics. That could include weaving, carving, design, navigation, ...

Weekly news round up: 17/03/26

By Tim Bradbury posted 17-03-2026
The Week in Education: What mattered for STEM teachers 11–17 March 2026 • UK education, STEM-first (but not STEM-only) A quick-to-skim long-read for busy teachers: the headlines, what they mean in science/maths/computing/DT classrooms, and a few prompts to take into department time. Duplicate coverage has been consolidated. 1) SEND pressure points: private provision costs, and what “capacity” really means The SEND reform debate moved from “what should the system do?” to “what can the system actually sustain?” this week. Schools Week published an investigation into the rising costs of private special school provision, reporting councils are paying ...

Techognition 2026: celebrating the technicians who make learning possible

By Sarah Atkinson posted 12-03-2026
Behind every brilliant practical, every smoothly run lesson, the equipment’s that’s ready before anyone asks. The room that’s safe, stocked, and somehow still standing by Friday. The “can I just have…?” moments that turn into miracles, and “how did you do that?” there’s usually a technician making it happen On Friday 13 March 2026 , technicians across the UK are taking part in #TECHOGNITION #TECHOGNITION is a UK-wide celebration spotlighting the skills, dedication, care and essential work carried out by technical support staff in schools and college, labs, workshops, preproom, classrooms, ICT suites, design and technology (and far beyond) in schools ...

British Science Week 2026: spark curiosity and turn questions into action

By Tim Bradbury posted 10-03-2026
British Science Week 2026: spark curiosity and turn questions into action British Science Week 2026 runs from 6 to 15 March , and it is a brilliant excuse to put big questions centre stage in your classroom. This year’s theme, Curiosity: what’s your question? , is a strong prompt for getting learners to notice more, ask more and explore more, whether through science, computing, engineering, maths or careers linked to STEM. For teachers, that does not have to mean planning a huge event or collapsing the timetable. British Science Week can be as simple as choosing one strong activity, building a lesson around a question that grabs your learners, or using ...

Weekly news round up: 10/3/26

By Tim Bradbury posted 10-03-2026
The Week in Education: What mattered for STEM teachers 4–10 March 2026 • UK education, STEM-first (but not STEM-only) 1) Staffing and pay: the maths is getting tighter (and support staff are key) This week’s workforce story came in two layers. First, modelling shared by government suggests mainstream schools can only afford a modest pay rise under current funding plans. Second, separate analysis flags that support staff turnover is at record levels — and that’s not a “nice to have” issue. In STEM, teaching assistants and technicians are often the difference between safe practicals, smooth inclusion and “we’ll do this as a demo because we don’t have ...

World Water Day and International Women’s Day: a timely sustainability link

By Tim Bradbury posted 09-03-2026
World Water Day: linking sustainability, water and gender Our Focus of the Month for March is Sustainability , and World Water Day on 22 March gives us a brilliant opportunity to explore that theme with learners in a way that is timely, relevant and rooted in real-world issues. This year, there is also a particularly powerful link to make with International Women’s Day , which took place yesterday on 8 March. While World Water Day helps us explore the environmental side of sustainability, it also reminds us that sustainability is not just about protecting the planet. It is also about fairness, access and equity. That link feels especially important ...