STEM Academy Worthing
Manifesto 2018-2020
#101ReasonsToApply
“The Enterprise Adviser Network has been working with the college for over a year to help support them in driving initiatives like this one. It is a pleasure to work with such a talented team who are dedicated to providing the best possible further education opportunities. Ensuring a robust STEM education for our young people is vital across the board. It’s vital to employers as they cannot develop without the right talent, it’s vital to our local area so that we can attract the businesses who will employ that talent and its vital to our young people to ensure they have the best possible skills and experience to develop to their best potential and live their best lives.”
Rebecca Tonks Coast to Capital
“In the 21st century, scientific and technological innovations have become increasingly important as we face the benefits and challenges of both globalization and a knowledge based economy. To succeed in this new information based and highly technological society, students need to develop their capabilities in STEM to levels much beyond what was considered acceptable in the past.� National Science Foundation
At Worthing College we intend to be a main source of support to the Coastal West Sussex Partnership by taking an active role in putting the STEM message across to partner secondary schools and local primary schools. We have the intention to address the regionally low uptake of STEM courses at level 3 and place significant emphasis on narrowing the gender inequalities in terms of recruitment to STEM courses. As a first step we have established the Worthing College STEM Academy and this first strategy document as a mandate covering the next two years.
The Local Picture* The number of students taking STEM A levels in West Sussex has declined across all subjects between 2012/13 and 2015/16, particularly those taking maths. STEM A level take up is falling nationally and the most significant loss is in those taking at least one maths or science A level and the number of STEM teachers has stagnated since 2010 while overall pupil numbers have continued to grow. The decline in STEM A-level participation is of local concern. West Sussex underperforms nationally in terms of STEM A level take-up. Gender differences in A level subjects studied in West Sussex are quite marked with females outnumbering males only in biological sciences, while males outnumber females in mathematics, chemistry and physics. *Taken from STEM: The Case for Action. The business case for investing in STEM skills in Coastal West Sussex. Draft: SCL_CWS_STEM_Report_FEB18_D5.
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Worthing College STEM Academy Launched 19th October 2017 with the Big Bang @ Worthing College
Overview
The Worthing College STEM Academy offers students who are studying science, technology, engineering and maths courses extra opportunities outside the classroom. As a unified group of maths and science staff we aim to work together to inform students about STEM careers and offer a range of enjoyable activities, trips and competitions to help students build friendships and enrich their studies. Worthing College intends to become the first choice for student progression to STEM subjects from the six partner schools and for other students in the Coastal West Sussex strip. This STEM strategy and action plan is designed to give students, staff and other stakeholders a summary of our vision, and outlines how we will grow over the coming months and years.
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The STEM Academy will focus on the following key areas:
Expert Staffing
Worthing College recognises that STEM staff are the most important resource in the STEM Academy and as such intends to continue to be a very rewarding place to work. It is important that staff of STEM courses feel that they can offer their students the best opportunities to reach their full potential; teachers and technicians will therefore be supported to maintain subject expertise and progress their career through industrial or work related experience and ongoing training. When teacher vacancies arise, the college will aim to maintain an excellent team of well qualified, experienced staff through proactive, timely recruitment strategies that include ongoing involvement with local teacher training colleges.
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A Modern, Responsive STEM Curriculum
The STEM post 16 curriculum offer will be reviewed on an annual basis, in line with the college curriculum resourcing calendar, to ensure that it continues to be responsive to local needs. Regular liaison with STEM staff from the six partner schools will ensure that the curriculum offer and entry requirements are appropriate for potential student success. Recruitment to STEM courses: Worthing College will aim to maintain the widest range of STEM subjects in the area and pose no restrictions on timetable combinations, thereby allowing staff to put together programmes of study that suit individual student needs. Pre-enrolment information and guidance will be provided by specialists who have an up to date understanding of the STEM curriculum. Progression pathways to employment, further and higher education will be mapped to all college STEM courses so that students can plot a pathway that can ultimately lead to employment in the STEM sector. The Worthing College STEM Academy intends to join local partners in proactively addressing local under recruitment to STEM courses and will place a strong emphasis on increasing the number of girls. Student outcomes: The quality of STEM courses at Worthing College will continue to be a high priority for the college senior management team who will help ensure that detailed, funded action plans are in place to make sure that all STEM courses can continue to self-assess as good or better. Students graduating from the Worthing College STEM Academy will have been supported to achieve their potential and progress to competitive apprenticeships or universities through high quality subject teaching and expert support in careers advice and application processes.
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Locally recognised branding and high quality STEM facilities
The college STEM strategy involves the creation of a branded STEM centre with modern spacious facilities that provide students with the opportunity for fully integrated practical and theory lessons as well as the opportunity to develop skills using information technology. Two dedicated STEM learning zones enable students to study independently and work in small groups in the supportive maths and science curriculum areas. The branding of the area is aimed at showing staff and students the close liaison and coherence between all the STEM subjects as well as a sense of ownership and belonging. The college is committed to supporting, where financially viable, capital bids, refurbishment of facilities and budget enhancements that help STEM subjects to maintain up to date and high quality provision. Sponsorship arrangements will be actively explored for bespoke items. Over the next two years the STEM centre will evolve to have high quality exhibitions and displays that showcase student enrichment, employer engagement and progression opportunities. The STEM Academy web page will be accessed via the college website and will display current information, college STEM news and opportunities. It is intended that there will be increasing numbers of agreements from local companies and professional partners to link to Worthing College STEM Academy. It is intended that by 2020 the Worthing College STEM Academy brand will become recognised locally as a symbol of excellence.
“The Worthing and Adur Chamber are fully behind the STEM Academy Worthing’s Manifesto. As a Chamber representing hundreds of local businesses, we understand the importance of STEM subjects in the workplace and encourage any student looking to join one of the many successful businesses in the area to look to a STEM qualification as an important foundation for their future career. Helping students across Worthing, Adur and beyond to attain good STEM qualifications together with a programme of employer engagement helps to prepare young people to take the next exciting step towards a career, whether that by way of one of the many worthwhile apprenticeships now available (including higher and degree apprenticeships) or to university.”
Chris Coopey President of the Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce
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Community outreach and employer engagement
In support of the West Sussex Coastal Partnership STEM agenda Worthing College will aim to become the Worthing STEM education hub for local students, technicians and teachers. To this end the STEM Academy will continue to work both independently and with external partners to promote the uptake of STEM subjects and to engage local employers in enhancing links to demonstrate employment and progression opportunities.
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Examples are: STEM Sussex working on various events that link Worthing College with local employers. This includes events such as the Big Bang @ Worthing College, Coastal STEMfest, ‘people like me’ (WISE) workshops and Big Bang South East Chichester University - host a joint primary and secondary Spring STEM festival and primary teacher training event Southampton Maths and Science Learning Centre on hosting CLEAPSS technician training and the annual technician conference Sussex Science Learning partnership on hosting events such as the Primary Science Teachers conference and other teacher training events Further Maths Support Programme on hosting events for teachers of further maths Keynote on hosting A level science spring revision courses STEM learning for teacher and technician CPD with impact awards Royal Society for Chemistry on hosting funded bespoke workshops aimed to increase the numbers of students taking up Chemistry post 16 Institute of Physics on working to increase the numbers of girls taking physics through the Stimulating Physics Network Partner schools with a bespoke menu of workshops and transition events for years 7 -11 and by assigning student STEM leaders Primary schools with bookable in house or in school science workshops and by assigning student STEM leaders
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Enrichment beyond the mainstream curriculum
Enrichment beyond the curriculum will be a key feature of the STEM Academy. The main focus of our enrichment programme will be linked to employability and subject skills as well as to preparing students for competitions and additional university entrance exams.
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STEM Academy students will be encouraged to take a 3+1 curriculum, with three subjects (or their equivalence) plus at least one of the following: A fourth course such as further maths or EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) Aspire or CUPP (Competitive Universities Preparation Programme) STEM related work experience, voluntary work or in house workshops An accredited enrichment project such as a Crest Award Entry into a STEM competition Wherever possible the STEM Academy will collaborate with external partners to provide exciting enrichment opportunities for students and to seek additional funding or sponsorship.
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To this end the STEM Academy will continue to work with a range of partners that currently include: Crest – for bronze, silver and gold Crest Awards Greenpower – for the building of an F24 car Industrial Cadets – to recognise significant work experience projects and placements Nuffield – for Nuffield research placements Brighton, Chichester and Sussex Universities for workshops Oxbridge and other Russell Group universities for workshops and summer school placements Engineering in Education scheme for a six month engineering project Weald Technology – for CAD courses and Greenpower car projects Coast to Capital – for enhancing employer engagement Royal Society of Chemistry – for the Young Analyst Competition and Chemistry Olympiad Royal Society of Biology – for the Biology Olympiad United Kingdom Mathematics Trust – for maths challenge competitions Worthing College Work Store – for work experience placements. The opportunity for student mock university and apprenticeship interviews will be provided by college staff and STEM Ambassadors
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STEM Strategy timeline: October 2017
STEM Academy launch with Big Bang @Worthing College
#101ReasonsToApply
January 2018
Draft STEM strategy proposed to SMT
February/ March 2018
STEM Strategy ‘tested’ with external reviewers and relevant college staff
March 2018
STEM strategy finalised and published
April 2018
STEM partners approached to endorse STEM Strategy with logos
May 2018
STEM Strategy launched to external partners
June 2018
Audit College practices for adherence to strategy
September 2018
Launch key points of strategy with new STEM Academy students
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#101ReasonsToApply
“We are delighted to see that Worthing College has set a direction to be a leading institution for STEM learning in West Sussex. In an ever changing, knowledge based economy, the demand from business for science, engineering, maths and technology skills continues to rise. Working with a wide range of partners, Worthing College will offer broad and rich opportunities for both students and staff to achieve its goal and be recognised as a leading institution for STEM learning in the county.�
Caroline Wood Coastal West Sussex Partnership
www.worthing.ac.uk WorthingCollegeOfficial @WorthingCollege @WorthingCollege