Managing effective STEM enhancement and enrichment

Before, during and after a STEM enhancement and enrichment activity

Once you have decided what you want to do, with whom and why, some aspects of planning, implementing and follow up are common to all activities. These are described below.

A simple ten-point checklist

Before

1. Contact the enhancement and enrichment provider and agree the brief for the activity, including specific expected outcomes which will support pupil progress. Confirm that the provider has been CRB checked.
2. Ensure that staffing is in place (with clear roles assigned), risk assessment is carried out, parental permissions are granted where appropriate, and that science subject leader and senior leadership team are kept informed. Make sure that protocols relating to visitors and visits are followed.
3. Prepare the 'learning ground' of the participating pupils as appropriate. Explain the purpose of the enhancement and enrichment and provide pupils with, for example, background information or a research brief for them to find out some relevant material.

During

4. Facilitate the arrangements and the outcomes which you have planned.
5. Ensure the external provider is supported as necessary, provided with information and facilities as required, and thanked afterwards. Remember that the teacher remains in charge of the pupils engaged in the STEM enhancement and enrichment activity – the external provider is an additional support to pupils’ learning, not a replacement for the teacher.
6. Try to get a sense of the success of the activity while it is happening, not simply with reference to your planned outcomes – are there other benefits and any unforeseen problems?

After

7. Plan a lesson/activity in which pupils can contribute from the experience of their enhancement and enrichment activity.
8. Enquire from pupils, any staff involved and the external provider as to the success of the activity and its value in respect of your planned outcomes.
9. Provide a brief report on the activity for the science subject leader, the senior leadership team and those responsible for the teaching scheme of the group involved. This will help develop individual activities and experiences into coherent departmental provision in science and in STEM departments across the curriculum. Provide feedback to the STEM broker through whom you arranged the STEM enhancement and enrichment opportunity (if applicable).
10. Record the involvement of individual pupils on a simple spreadsheet and evaluate the impact of the activities on learning.