STEM
Our STEM programme exposes our students to the developing world around them and intends to grow their love of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), ensuring they leave Lift Kingswood with an array of positive memories and experiences.
On top of the world class subject specific learning our students experience, we are committed to ensuring that our students are aware of the STEM careers available to them and that they recognise these as exciting and achievable career choices after their time at Kingswood. By offering students the opportunity to engage with various STEM events, we give them the chance to make real life links between their classroom-based learning, the world around them and potential future careers. We aim to deepen their understanding of the STEM curriculum: inspiring and creating pathways for them to follow into post-secondary education.
Each academic year, students in Year 7 and Year 8 compete in the UK Mathematics Trust National Junior Challenge.
Every year Kingswood also send a team of two Year 8 and two Year 9 students to compete in the UK Mathematics Trust Team challenge regional finals. The team take part in four rounds including a variety of mathematical challenges ranging from mathematical relay races to team cross numbers designed to test their mathematical reasoning skills as well as team work to a high level. Kingswood pupils are regularly praised for their resilience and team work at these events, demonstrating our key drivers. We are always exceptionally proud of their achievements.
In the final few weeks of each academic year we take all of our Y10 students to different universities across the country. The purpose of the day is to show students the incredible opportunities that university can offer them and give them an idea of the possibilities available to them after Lift Kingswood.
In a few years time, we want our students to be in a position where they can make informed decisions about Higher Education on leaving Lift Kingswood and completing college courses or apprenticeships. We wish to inspire the pupils to consider universities in different cities and hence selected a range of universities across the country, including some of the best in the world.
Whilst at the universities, students take part in campus tours, taster lecture sessions, talks and workshops on Student Finance and how to budget through university, as well as sessions on what student life would be like at university. At The University of Oxford students enjoyed mini problem-solving sessions including some Maths and Philosophy debates. Students found the day incredibly insightful and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to visit a university campus and get a taster of higher education first hand.
Every year, four of our Year 10 students take part in a Maths Feast hosted by the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme (AMSP). This is a day of Maths challenges and problem solving tasks that increase in difficulty as you move from your starter to your main, to your mathematical dessert. This year our students did exceptionally well and came out with certificates for their consistently high scores and their brilliant team working skills, a quality that Lift Kingswood students consistently display. These students modelled one of our key drivers ‘Never Give Up’ by training for this challenge from November to sit the Challenge in March, giving up their own time to represent Lift Kingswood in this challenge.
As part of our ongoing commitment to ensure that students are made aware of the STEM careers available to them, we take all of our Year 9 students to a STEM careers fair, every year. The Big Bang UK Young Scientist and Engineers Fair is the largest STEM event in the UK. Students get a chance to speak to people in industry and seek advice for the relevant pathways needed to pursue their possible STEM Careers. The STEM Fair gives students a chance to get hands on with tasks and job roles that they perhaps never knew existed, broadening their horizons and putting all their curriculum content into context.
At Lab Rats we give students the opportunity to plan, take part in and conduct exciting scientific investigations.
For example:
Last year we introduced the students to the 'Step into the NHS' project. Students across KS3 and KS4 were invited to participate in the national competition, competing against other schools, if they had an interest in a career in the NHS. Students had to research careers in the NHS and create a job description and an advert that represented their chosen career. Our students worked incredibly hard and demonstrated the highest expectations during the 6 week challenge. They produced a board game where each different pathway took you down a different career. At the centre of the board game was Lift Kingswood, the starting point at which students start making their choices for their future.
The 6 students who attended the Step into the NHS project last year did a fantastic job and came within the top 10 schools across the UK."
The Race to the Line competition allows students to explore how race cars are designed to move as quickly as possible around the race track. They are looking at the science behind why race cars are designed the way they are and how this will benefit the car when moving around the track. From this, the student will then be tasked with designing and building their own polystyrene car that will be entered into a national competition, and will compete against other schools to see who has designed and built the quickest car.
We’re thrilled to celebrate the outstanding success of our students at this year’s Science Challenge Day—a dynamic, hands-on competition held at Wilberforce College, designed to test STEM knowledge, creativity, and collaboration across four exciting challenges.
We took 12 students from Kingswood to the event, where they joined teams made up of two Kingswood students and two students from another school. Teams from seven different schools across Hull participated, giving students the unique opportunity to collaborate with peers they had never met before. It was a real test of teamwork, communication, and adaptability—skills our students demonstrated with enthusiasm and maturity throughout the day.
The challenges included:
We are especially proud to announce some fantastic results:
The judges were full of praise for the creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving shown by all our students. Everyone involved had a brilliant time and came away inspired by what they had achieved. A huge well done to all who took part—we’ll be cheering on our winning team at the national final!
Fifteen enthusiastic students from Years 7, 8, and 9 recently had the exciting opportunity to attend the Big Bang Fair at the NEC in Birmingham. Selected for their outstanding commitment and effort in Kingswood’s STEM enrichment clubs, these students represented the school with pride and curiosity.
During their three-hour visit, students explored a wide range of science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) careers through engaging conversations with real-life scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and designers from various industries. They also enjoyed interactive exhibits, took part in hands-on activities, and watched inspiring science presentations.
The students behaved impeccably throughout the trip and gained valuable insights into the real-world applications of their classroom learning. The experience sparked new ideas and enthusiasm for future careers in STEM fields.
We are already looking forward to returning to the Big Bang Fair next year!
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