A list of STEM teaching, learning and careers resources and activities, from inside and outside UCL
Use CTRL/CMD+F or 'find on page' to help identify resources that you are interested in, e.g. 'revision', 'careers', 'mechanical engineering'.
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UCL / UCL Engineering resources
UCL Access and Widening Participation
Leads widening access and supporting attainment and progression in groups underrepresented at UCL. Runs activities, often in collaboration with departments and faculties (including UCL Engineering), such as summer schools, mentorship programmes, teacher CPD, and information sessions for parents, carers and guardians.
UCL Engineering
UCL’s Faculty of Engineering, which oversees all engineering departments at UCL. Like the Faculty, individual departments often run public engagement and outreach activities.
Prospective students (UCL)
Directory of UCL’s undergraduate programmes, application and accommodation guidance, and advice for those who provide information and guidance to applicants.
Prospective students (UCL Engineering)
An overview of our approach to undergraduate teaching, studentship opportunities, and a list of our undergraduate programmes.
UCL Integrated Engineering Programme - How we teach
An overview of UCL’s IEP, an exciting and dynamic problem-based teaching and learning approach that aims to teach our students to approach engineering problems as they are in the real world. The IEP underpins UCL’s engineering undergraduate programmes, including the Engineering Foundation Year.
UCL Disruptive Thinkers
An ongoing series of short videos showing some of the disruptive thinking happening across UCL Engineering - from making cities more inclusive right through to designing pandemic-proof cities, how fibreoptics are innovating medical procedures, and much more.
UCL Spring Into STEM
A series of talks run by UCL Engineering, perfect for people aged 15-25 who are curious about meaningful applications of engineering. Each event features two TED-style talks by experts from different engineering disciplines, where they discuss how they use engineering to tackle to some of the most pressing issues the world faces. In 2024, this free event series will run monthly at UCL East from February-July.
Each event's speakers put together a list of further reading, videos and learning opportunities relevant to the topic they discussed, for attendees who want to explore the subjects covered in the talk further.
Books for Curious Minds and Budding Engineers
A selection of books, split by age group, we think are great for encouraging an interest in STEM in children and young people.
General resources
NEON STEM resources & experiences
Gathers quality-assured and engaging experiences, activities, and resources for teaching STEM and engineering whether at primary or secondary level. These resources are linked to up-to-date careers information and highlight real-world applications of STEM. You can filter them by age, from 3 to 18+.
Tomorrow’s Engineers STEM resources
Curates information and guidance on a range of topics, from ensuring your activity is accessible to resources to support you in presenting an accurate and attractive idea of what engineering careers look like today. Guidance on running virtual events and suggestions on how best to evaluate your activity with young people.
Meet The Future You
A quiz aimed at those aged 7-19+ that identifies a potential and exciting career in engineering based on their skills, passions and interests. Available as an app or on your browser.
This is Engineering
A campaign to bring engineering to life for young people and support them in the pursuit a career that is rewarding, varied, well-paid and in-demand. Discover opportunities and hear from young professional engineers from a huge range of specialties and focuses in video and text format, how they got to where they are and what made them decide to pursue a career in engineering.
Royal Academy of Engineering STEM resources
Engages school, college and university students with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by providing resources and training for teachers, including coordinating STEM teaching networks and supportive educational programmes across the UK.
Institution of Engineering and Technology STEM resources
Supports STEM teachers by providing a range of resources linked to the UK curriculum. Content and events appropriate for children and young people aged 4-16+.
Institute of Physics resources
The IoP develop and support high-quality physics teaching through provision of teaching networks, CPD events and classroom-ready, tried and tested resources. Over 2,000 resources are available free to download.
Institution of Mechanical Engineers STEM resources
The IMechE coordinates networks of teachers and STEM ambassadors, and offers mechanical engineering careers guidance suited to aspiring engineers of all ages and free, engaging STEM teaching and learning resources ready for use in the classroom.
Institution of Civil Engineers STEM resources
Explore interactive career guidance, download free printable materials for display at your school or college, and find activities including competitions, online and face-to-face across the UK, to help you introduce your pupils to civil engineering.
STEM Learning
Delivers teacher CPD in STEM subjects, connects teachers with their local network of STEM Learning teachers, brings STEM role models into schools as part of the STEM Ambassador Programme. Provides resources and tailored, long-term support for groups of schools. You can filter content by stage of education (primary, secondary, etc.). They also have content available for employers.
Royal Institution resources
Science shows, workshops, educational resources, grants and more, brought directly to your school, or online.
James Dyson Foundation
Resources and activities you can bring to your classroom. The James Dyson Foundation works with teachers and learners across the world, and particularly closely with schools in Malmesbury.
Born To Engineer resources
Resources and activities suitable for use by learners, teachers, parents and guardians, including classroom toolkits linked to the curriculum, videos, exciting and digestible news stories and career advice such as CV tips. Learn more about the different forms of engineering, and what a career in each might look like.
National Careers Week
A week focused on providing people with support, information and guidance in identifying a career, backed up with free, digital and video resources for educators aligned with the Key Stages and Gatsby Benchmarks, to support planning and delivery. NCW can support you in developing your own materials and connecting with others to improve practice around CEIAG. Resources are also available for employers and young people and accessible year-round.
Khan Academy
A free, non-profit American interactive online learning platform, centred on maths but now expanded into other areas such as physics, economics, reading and computing. Suitable for learners aged 4-university age and above, with options to register as a parent or teacher.
Primrose Kitten resources
GCSE and A level revision materials including predicted papers sorted by exam board and subject, some paid.
NRICH
Run by the University of Cambridge’s Faculty of Mathematics, this website supplies free, curriculum-linked resources for students aged 3-18. Support available for teachers, learners and parents.
Physics & Maths Tutor
Revision materials including past papers for GCSEs and A levels, university admissions guidance and a function that allows you to search for subject tutors. Suitable for learners and also hosts a section for teachers on its website.
In2Science research placements
A UK-based social mobility charity that focus on getting underrepresented and disadvantaged young people into STEM through skills-building workshops, placements and much more. They run three schemes for people at different stages of their education. UCL often hosts placement and work experience students in partnership with In2Science.
The Brilliant Club school programmes
A university access charity that works with PhD researchers to support disadvantaged students’ access, attainment and progression at some of the most competitive universities. They recruit, train and place PhD researchers to deliver university-style learning in schools; run small-group English and Maths support sessions for Year 10s; bring together parents and universities to encourage a dialogue between them; and offer university preparation activities and coaching for Year 12-13 students.
SpringPod virtual work experience
SpringPod partner with universities and employers to create interactive, experiential learning programmes from work experience to university course taster experiences. Free to all students.
Brightside mentoring
Connects trained, volunteer mentors from all professions with young people in order to help them make informed decisions about their future.
L’Oreal Young Scientist
A science laboratory at the Royal Institution where young people aged 7–18 and their teachers can experiment and explore science and technology outside the classroom.
Girls Into Coding
Provides practical experience for girls aged 10-14 in robotics, physical computing, and coding. Sessions are run by experts in their fields and based in London.
F1 in Schools
A large competition for primary-KS5 students (different competitions per age group) where contestants work in teams to design, manufacture and race miniature cars.
I'm an Engineer
Gives students the ability to talk (in text form) to engineers in real-time and ask them questions.
Primary Engineer Leaders Award
A competition open to pupils in primary and secondary schools. The competition begins with asking competitors: if you were an engineer, what problem would you most like to solve? Contestants’ written, illustrative, interview, research and persuasive skills all factor into convincing the judges of their proposed solution.
CREST Awards
CREST Awards are flexible, student-led projects aligned with the national curriculum, with different awards available for different age groups, from 5-16+. Generally, the higher the level of the award, the less teacher involvement there is in the project.
Museums and festivals
Science Museum
South Kensington, London
Entry to museum is free
A collection of scientific, technological and medical advancement from across the globe. The Science Museum also runs interactive activities and talks.
Design Museum
Kensington, London
Entry to museum is free
Showcases products related to industrial, graphic, fashion, and architectural design, runs workshops and exhibitions, and KS2-5 activities mapped to the national curriculum for design and technology.
Young V&A
Bethnal Green, London
Entry to museum is free
Museum of applied arts for children and young people, with exhibitions, talks, design and making sessions.
We The Curious
Bristol
Interactive, engaging science centre and educational charity with hundreds of exhibitions and a 3D planetarium.
MOSI
Central Manchester
Entry to museum is free
The Museum of Science and Industry showcases the historic development of science, engineering, technology and industry in Manchester, with interactive experiences and exhibitions.
Think Tank Birmingham Museum
Central Birmingham
A science museum with immersive exhibitions such as a child-size mini city, and a 4K planetarium. Explores Birmingham’s industrial past.
EUREKA Science & Discovery Museum
Wallasey, Wirral
Science museum with exhibitions and interactive sessions for schools. Has an interactive exhibit for under 7s.
Imagine That!
Wavertree, Liverpool
An interactive experience for children aged 1-10, where guests can create and make items and enjoy staff-led workshops. Designed to build emotional, STEM, expressive art and design, technology and literacy skills.
TechniQuest
Cardiff Bay
A science exploration and education centre, with lab workshops, exhibits and shows for all ages, from toddlers to 50+. Contains a ‘science capital’ with five districts - space, environment, chemistry, world issues and biomedical science, along with a 360 planetarium. Runs sessions for home educators, teacher CPD and supports the Nuffield Research Placement programme for year 12s.
Big Bang Fair
Birmingham
Annual, 3 days in June
Free
A fair with a huge range of activities, workshops and shows designed especially for young people aged 10-13. Group bookings welcome from state schools, and independent specialist and SEND schools. They also run a competition.
New Scientist Live
Docklands, London
Annual, 2-3 days in October
An annual fair where an incredible range of scientists and speakers, from new researchers to household names, cover a variety of subjects of talks for all ages. There’s also floorspace covering exciting new inventions. In 2023’s schools’ day, attendees were able to talk to an astronaut live at the International Space Station.
Institute of Making Festival of Stuff & Open Days
Part of UCL
Bloomsbury, London
Annual festival takes place in June-July (other events available)
Free
The Festival of Stuff consists of a week of bookable masterclasses and a street festival of materials and making. Basket weaving, 3D print finishing, pewter casting, pyrotechnic displays, glass whistle making and much more are included, culminating in a dazzling Saturday Extravaganza of making stalls and materials demo, taking over the whole street outside the IOM.
Imperial College Festival
South Kensington
2 days in June
Free
An annual celebration science and arts face-to-face in South Kensington and online. Run by research and cultural institutions based in and around Exhibition Road, like the Natural History Museum, Imperial College London, The Royal College of Music and many more.
Institute of Imagination
Multiple locations in London
School programme is free
An education charity that works work families, teachers, youth and community leaders and academics. They run activities across STEAM (so, including the arts!) for children aged 5-11 years old, online and in person.
Ministry of Science
Multiple locations nationally and internationally
Runs a theatre show and a tour with exciting, dynamic demonstrations (e.g., fire tornadoes and nitrogen clouds!) across the UK and internationally, as they tell the stories of world-shaping scientists, engineers and inventors. Their website contains clips from their shows where you can get a preview of what they do. They also run school workshops.
Cheltenham Science Festival
Cheltenham
6 days in June
Gathers some of the world’s greatest scientists to help make sense of the world around you with interactive workshops, shows and demonstrations. Has activities designed for schools.
Norwich Science Festival
Norwich
8 days in February
Science exhibitions, shows and hands-on activities, with the chance to meet and talk to scientists. For all ages and all levels of knowledge.
Liverpool MakeFest
Central Liverpool
1 day in July
Free
A hands-on, hybrid festival with technology and arts & crafts where makers showcase their creations.