FAQ

There is no official scheme for badging STEM clubs. All STEM clubs operate differently and so a badging scheme would not be appropriate.

Affiliating to the STEM Clubs Network does have its advantages and indicates a commitment to developing your school’s STEM club. You may want to highlight this in you school’s prospectus, SEF or other school document. For example, you could say: “Anytown High School has a sucessful and active STEM club, which is affiliated to the STEM Clubs Network.”

Highlighting successful grant applications, competition entries or other awards is another way of demonstrating that your club has gained recognition for its work.

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The After-School Science and Engineering Clubs (ASSECs) programme began in 2006 and has established STEM clubs in 500 schools in England.

ASSECs have become the founding members of the STEM Clubs Network. One aim of the Network is to make available to all schools the knowledge and experience gained through the ASSECs project. In turn, new STEM clubs will bring their own expertise and ideas to the network.

Click here for more information on the ASSECs project.

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You should always involve at least one other colleague in the management of your club. We would also suggest that you consider using older pupils to help with the planning ade delivery. Not only will this help you, but it will also give them some useful experience and responsibility.

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Why STEM?
Can my STEM club get official recognition?
What do all these acronyms mean?
How many members should my STEM club have?
Where can I get additional funding for my STEM club?
What is the difference between the STEM Clubs Network and the STEM Directories?
Can my club join the STEM Clubs Network even though it’s not an ASSEC?
How do I get girls interested in a STEM club?
What’s the best way of engaging with maths in a STEM club?
Is it OK to ask an NQT to run a STEM club?
Do I need a lot of time to run a STEM club?

Information on using the site:
How to… manage user details.
How to… update your school profile and project records.
How to… search for project ideas.
How to… find out what’s going on.
How to… make contact.

Many clubs find it no problem at all attracting and keeping girls as STEM club members, whereas some find that their club does tend to be male dominated.

Think about how your activities are framed. Say you want to build solar powered cars. If you engage with the activity as a “car engineering competition” and you will inevitably appeal more to boys than girls. Engage with it as a “sustainable transport challenge” and you overcome many gender stereotypes associated with engineering and motor sports. It also becomes a real-life problem to be solved, rather than a simple testosterone-fuelled battle. This gender-neutral approach should appeal to both sexes equally, rather than favouring one over the other.

Other approaches that you might consider are setting up girl-only clubs, having more female club leaders, or running activities that are obviously girl-orientated.

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Some schools have found that a high profile launch brings in lots of members. The club fills up too quickly. In these cases, a waiting list of prospective members can be created. You can then bring in these interested members once there is capacity to do so.

An active and healthy waiting list is also a good monitoring tool. A full list will correspond to a popular club.

If the waiting list starts to dwindle, then this can be a really good indicator that perhaps you need to change your approach or choice of activity.

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To look for news from members of the Network

From the News & Events page: Latest News >> browse the list of news articles >> See Full Details >> if you are logged in you can leave a comment and a rating

To look for a club event

From the News & Events page: Regional Events >> Find your region in the list >> Events in your region

To follow the STEM Clubs Network on Twitter

Take a look at Twitter Feed page, or visit twitter.com/STEMClubs

To contact a local STEM club

From the Schools and Clubs page: Find A STEM Club >> browse the map using the zoom toolbar on the left or click and drag with the open-hand cursor >> click on a map pin >> click on the school name >> browse their profile page >> click on club leader’s name >> send an e-mail

To contact your local STEMNET contract holder

From the resources page: View Your Regional Contacts >> browse the list for your nearest contact for STEM brokerage or STEM Ambassadors >> click on relevant e-mail link >> send and e-mail

To find a supplier

From the resources page: Supplier & Services Database >> Click Here To Search… >> browse the list or use the keyword search box >> View More

Accessing Your School Dashboard

From the homepage: Login to school dashboard >> enter email and password >> Login

Adding / changing club leaders

Email support@stemclubs.net from STEM Clubs website with your request. Include the name(s), email address(es) and school of new / changed club leader(s)

Adding pupils

From your school dashboard: Pupil Management >> Add pupil >> enter details (UPN only required for ASSEC schools) >> Save Pupil

Changing pupils

From your school dashboard: Pupil Management >> find pupil on the list >> Edit (to change details), or Delete (to remove access to the site for that pupil)

Adding / changing mentors

From your school dashboard: Pupil Management >> find appropriate pupil on the list >> Make a Mentor (to increase access for that pupil), or Remove Mentor Role (to decrease access for that pupil).

Featured projects

From the home page or project search page: scroll down to the “Featured Projects” filmstrip >> browse through the featured projects records using the grey horizontal scroll bar >> See Full Details or View

Keyword search for projects

From the project search page: enter relevent keyword into Search Project box >> Go >> browse list >> See Full Details
(N.B. if your search yields no results, go back to the project search page and try a different keyword.)

Browse all projects

From the project search page: Browse All Projects >> look through the list for ideas >> See Full Details

Changing school profile

From your school dashboard: Edit School Description >> make necessary changes >> Save Details

Adding a new project record

From your school dashboard: Add New Project >> enter project details >> Save

Adding images to projects

From your school dashboard: find the project in the Our Projects list>> Edit Project >> Browse >> find and select image file, then click open >> Upload >> Save

Managing existing projects

From your school dashboard: find the project in the Our Projects list >> Delete Project, or Add Resource _, or Show / Hide Project _(to make it visible / invisible to other users), or Approve / Reject (to approve or reject a submission from a pupil).

Editing existing projects

From your school dashboard: find the project in the Our Projects list >> Edit Project >> make necessary changes >> Save

It really depends on the NQT in question. An NQT, fresh from initial teacher training, might be full of enthusiasm and new ideas. Also, an NQT will usually have a slightly reduced timetable so it might be tempting to see that as time available to organise a club. Care should be taken to ensure that an NQT can manage club commitments on top of their teaching commitments, induction requirements and any academic commitments they may have as a result of continued postgraduate study (e.g. MEd).

It is also important to regard the work that any teacher does with a STEM club as part of their CPD, and not simply as “something extra” that they do just because they want to.

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ASE = Association for Science Education

ASSEC = After-School Science & Engineering Club (referring to a project running in 500 schools)

CRB = Criminal Records Bureau

CREST = Creativity in Science & Technology (a scheme run by the British Science Association)

CPD = continuing professional development

DATA = Design and Technology Association

DCSF = Government Department for Children, Schools and Families (in England). Now known as the Department for Education.

DIP / SIP = departmental improvement plan / school improvement plan

E&E = enrichment and enhancement

FAQ = frequently asked question

ISA = either individual skills assignments (if talking about exams) or Independent Safeguarding Authority (if talking about child protection) or individual savings account (if talking about money)

NCETM = National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics

NSEC = National Science & Engineering Competition

NSEW = National Science & Engineering Week

NQT = Newly Qualified Teacher

QTS = Qualified Teacher Status

SEF = self-evaluation form

SLC = Science Learning Centre

SSAT = Specialist Schools & Academies Trust

STEM = science, technology, engineering and mathematics

STEMNET = The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Network

UPN = unique pupil number

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As every maths teacher knows, maths is everywhere. This is especially so in science, technology and engineering. In fact, maths is so fundamental to these subjects that we would challenge you to find a science, technology or engineering project that cannot incorporate an element of maths! Try thinking of your STEM club as a maths in context club, and check out the activities page for more advice.

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The STEM Directories are exactly that: Directories listing the details of hundreds of STEM enhancement and enrichment activity providers. They provide a mine of information available to any teacher who has an idea of the kind of STEM activity they are looking for.

The STEM Clubs Network exists as a community of like-minded people, club leaders and club members, who wish to share their STEM club experiences. In this regard, the STEM Clubs Network is more like a social networking site such as Facebook or Bebo.

Click here for more information about the organisation and scope of the STEM Clubs Network.

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There may be potential sources of funding within your school. There are also a number of external organisations that might be able to help.

Visit our funding pages for more information: Finding funding for your STEM Club.

ASDC – Fundraising for STEM Clubs

The Association for Science and Discovery Centres has put together a comprehensive fundraising guide for STEM Clubs. You can see it here.

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In recent years, the UK has seen an unprecedented rise in the interest of Government, industry and others in the successful uptake of STEM subjects in schools and colleges. This is driven by the need to improve understanding of STEM-related topics in the general public, and to raise the skills and aspirations of learners towards a lifetime of contribution to the scientific and technological base of the country.

This answer cites The STEM Framework, a document published in July 2008 by the National Science Learning Centre. To download this document, or its sister publiction The STEM Framework – A Guide For Schools & Colleges, click on the links below.

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{FILE:201|CAPTION:The STEM Framework – A Guide For Schools & Colleges}

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