Enhancement and Enrichment

"I really enjoyed the maths day because maths is not one of my strongest subjects but it helped me to understand maths clearly and also helped widen my mind and how I feel about the subject. The maths day has made me more confident about maths and has also helped me understand it." 
Callum Hildebrandt (Year 7)

An enrichment and enhancement STEM activity, or E&E activity for short, is an activity that offers schools the opportunity to deliver exciting and inspiring activities to the classroom. 

Examples of enrichment and enhancement activities range from:
 

• Physics, ethics and bioethics
• A maths magic show
• Chemistry camps
• Data analysis simulating situations such as earthquakes
• 'Dragon's Den' challenge to design, build and present an invention
• Practical work in biology that helps to illustrate evolution
• Architecture workshops
• Work placement in industry

The possibilities for presenting a motivating and stimulating activity to students are endless.

Through its network of sub-regional contract holders, STEMNET works to ensure that all schools and colleges can offer their students appropriate STEM E&E schemes and programmes which support the curriculum and increase the quality and quantity of students moving into further STEM education, training, and employment.

STEMNET ensures that, for a STEM enhancement or enrichment activity to be effective:

• It will make a difference to learning – seeking changes in motivation, attitudes and enthusiasm which can impact on teaching and learning in lessons; 
   
• It will fit into the school’s curriculum design and delivery methods; 
   
• It will improve teachers’ understanding of STEM education and the benefits they will gain by engaging with a STEM activity; 
   
• There will be access to resources from industry that will make a difference in the classroom.

To contact your local contract holder and discuss what activities will work best in your school, click here.

‘You can see exhibitions about engineering, you can be told about it, you can look at pictures, watch videos and read books, but until you’ve had a go yourself you haven’t experienced the thrill of it….At first I was interested. Now I’m addicted.’ 
Peter Jones, A level student