STEM qualifications are well recognised as essential tools for wealth-creation.  Through partnership working, STEMNET aims to make an impact on the educational added value and career choices of all young people, by demonstrating to them, their teachers and other appropriate professionals, the relevance of STEM in today’s world and the superb opportunities it offers. 

Increasingly STEMNET and SETPOINT contract holders are ensuring that schools without a history of making STEM a priority in their extra-curricular activities and enhancement activities are being targeted.  STEMNET is also running dedicated programmes which are helping to achieve the Government's aim that the STEM workforce should increasingly represent the society that it serves, including in terms of gender and ethnicity.

The activities managed by STEMNET and delivered, coordinated and or supported by SETPOINT contract holders encourage young people to improve their knowledge, understanding and attainment in STEM together with developing soft skills such as team work, problem solving, analysis and communication.  Young people exposed to STEM curriculum enhancement/enrichment opportunities can gain an understanding and can develop an enthusiasm for those subjects that are often considered to be ‘hard’ to understand and do well in by young people.  Perceptions about career opportunities in STEM can also be challenged in this way.

Principles of Curriculum Enhancement and Enrichment of STEM

A curriculum enhancement or enrichment of STEM is something that provides the school curriculum with opportunities to deliver more relevant content.  It should have one of or a number of aspects to it for it to be called an enhancement.  It should:

• raise awareness of the impact of STEM in the community, industry and personally
• raise awareness of STEM careers and opportunities in industry and business
• be motivating and have engaging contexts to capture students’ enthusiasm
  be directly linked to industry and business
• engage with scientists, engineers and mathematicians using these skills in their jobs
  add value to the school curriculum whether that is improvement in attitude, motivation, creativity, enterprise, purpose, relevance etc
• challenge perceptions of STEM education
• raise aspirations and confidence in STEM education. 

Six areas that STEM can currently impact on:

1. The National Curriculum
2. Applied and Vocational courses
3. Enterprise
4. Every Child Matters
5. Extended schools

For further information about the impact STEM can have on the above download ‘What’s in it for me?’ document below.

How can SETPOINT contract holders help?

Organisations holding SETPOINT contracts aim to ensure that all young people, schools and colleges in their area have easy access to a balanced portfolio of high quality STEM curriculum enhancement and enrichment activities and schemes.

SETPOINT contract holders:

• can offer advice and guidance to teachers on which schemes may be suitable for them
• can provide details of, or facilitate contact with, the person or organisation best suited to meeting teachers’ specific needs    
• can help to organise industry visits and placements for students and teachers
• may be able to deliver some activities themselves or provide further support through access to the Science and Engineering Ambassadors.