You can use this example of stepped progression to assist you in longer-term planning of your Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) enhancement and enrichment programme. Each step describes the nature of pupils' involvement with STEM enhancement and enrichment and can help you to identify the level of current provision provided as a teacher, department or school. The strategies following each step suggest what might be done to improve the experiences of pupils through a coherent programme – you can adopt or adapt these strategies as required.
Pupil experience of STEM enhancement and enrichment
- has isolated experiences of enhancement and enrichment activities
- considers science to be what takes place in the school lab
- has no recognition of the significance of STEM.
- has a variety of unconnected experiences of enhancement and enrichment
- shows interest in science beyond the classroom and in science-related careers.
- has expectations that school science will link to the world outside
- understands how science, technology and mathematics are related in the curriculum
- considers that enhancement and enrichment activities are personally worthwhile.
- discusses with teachers own interests and needs with respect to enhancement and enrichment
- uses enhancement and enrichment experiences to progress in understanding of STEM subjects
- uses enhancement and enrichment experiences to think about subject and career choices.
Strategies the teacher can take to help pupils move to the next step
- build up a range of ideas and contacts for enhancement and enrichment
- discuss with pupils the links in the curriculum to ‘real’ science and how the practice of science uses mathematics and relates to engineering and technology.
- establish tracking method for pupil experiences
- develop links with other departments for coherent enhancement and enrichment provision
- arrange a STEM event to give a whole-school impact.
- compile enhancement and enrichment information to facilitate pupil personalisation
- coordinate enhancement and enrichment provision across departments
- produce a whole-school calendar of enhancement and enrichment events
- review programme and share experience with local schools.
The content above shows steps in the development of pupils' awareness in the value of enhancement and enrichment activities, not only in their understanding of the science curriculum and its relation to other STEM subjects, but also in science’s role in the world beyond the classroom and in their possible future careers. The teacher strategies suggest ways to progress from one step to the next.
Support for making these steps may be available from colleagues within your school, both in your own department and others within the school, other local schools, your local authority or other local providers.
