STEM at Sirius Academy West

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

 

Why is STEM important?

STEM is important because it teaches critical thinking skills and instils a passion for innovation. STEM assists in the problem-solving and exploratory learning that fuels success across a variety of tasks and disciplines. It empowers individuals with the skills to succeed and adapt to this increasingly complex, changing, technological world.

STEM is in every part of our lives. It is everywhere in the world around us and is used to impact people and every living thing on Earth. There are multiple reasons why STEM skills are considered more important than ever.

  • STEM skills help to bridge the ethnic and gender gaps sometimes found in math and science fields;
  • The global economy is changing;
  • Current jobs are disappearing due to automation;
  • New jobs are emerging as an outcome of technological advances;
  • The continual advances in technology are changing the way students learn, connect and interact every day;
  • STEM Skills are critical to school success and life;
  • Employer demand for STEM qualifications and skills is high;
  • In the Humber region, manufacturing contributes 17% of our employment compared with 8.7% for England – and this number is set to grow thanks to the investment in renewable energy. (www.greenporthull.co.uk)
  • STEM occupations are growing. They are nearly double that of other occupations
  • In 20 years, 80% of jobs will require technical skills. (US Bureau of Statistics)

 

What are STEM skills?

STEM skills relate subject-specific skills (e.g. in science pupils may use technology to simulate experiments that are too dangerous to carry out in the classroom) and generic skills. At Sirius Academy West, we aim to develop the following skills through our STEM programme;

  • Creativity
  • Inquiry Skills
  • Critical analysis
  • Teamwork and collaboration.
  • Initiative
  • Communication
  • Digital literacy
  • Problem-solving

At Sirius Academy West, we aim to provide an engaging and fun STEM programme and to embed STEM throughout our academic curriculum, pastoral programme, carers programme and extracurricular activities. The Academy is also linked with several local and national employers and businesses who help us to enrich our STEM education programme.

While studying at Sirius Academy West pupils will have a wide range of STEM opportunities including (but not limited to) external workplace visits, employer talks, careers talks, full STEM challenge days, assemblies, STEM links in subject lessons, virtual visits, virtual carers talk, careers fairs, skills sessions, entry into local, regional and national competitions and more.

Some examples of recent events, activities and successes include;

  • Teen Tech National Finalists
  • STEM challenge Regional Champions
  • Visits to the Amazon Warehouse Facility
  • Career and mental health talk from recording artist
  • Big Bang at Schools week long STEM celebration event
  • WWF Wildlife Ambassadors Club
  • National Grid STEM day challenge
  • Robotics Challenge Regional Finalists
  • Yorkshire Water Virtual STEM Careers Talk
  • WIME (Women into Maths and Engineering) convention
  • Skills Humber
  • Skills UK
  • Mock careers interviews
  • Medical Mavericks
  • Navy skills sessions
  • Robotics Club
  • Lunch and Learn talks from STEM Ambassadors
  • Virtual Engineering talk by Balfour Beatty
  • Engineering UK Energy Quest workshops
  • Clean Air Day themed Lessons
  • Christmas STEM Advent Calendar Challenge
  • Princes Trust Mosaic Programme
  • The Scholars Programme
  • First Aid sessions with Yorkshire Ambulance