STEM to STEAM

The Arts allow creative and diverse thinking and the challenging of concepts, which fits naturally into the STEM subject areas. As a STEAM team at Bridgemary, we have been able to inspire children through our enthusiasm and passion for our subject areas by connecting learning through creativity. The ability to think innovatively is key to tomorrow’s economy and jobs. Bridgemary School is very passionate and excited about STEAM within education and the endless opportunities it offers our young people. Delivering cross-curricular STEAM-based projects has engaged, enriched and excelled our students through the ability to transfer their knowledge from one situation to the next, which supports student’s progress. STEAM additionally highlights Higher Education and career pathways that students could pursue in the future, which is of immense importance due to the diverse opportunities for STEAM-based employment in the City of Portsmouth and along the south coast.

Aims and Objectives of STEAM at Bridgemary

• To enrich, aspire and broaden the horizons of our students and the community through STEAM.

• To ensure every learner has the opportunity to experience the richness of the Arts through STEM to STEAM

• To establish new collaborations between STEAM departments within the school, other educational providers, arts, cultural and STEM professionals and organizations

• Identify, and develop and support CPD opportunities within the school to develop STEAM within the curriculum.

• Develop Bridgemary School’s commitment to Arts Award and Artsmark

Overview of our STEAM Projects

Building on the success of the STEAM Harry Potter Scheme of Work that was delivered to year 7 in 2016 we wished to replicate a STEAM project that uses Literacy as a foundation to enhance student's awareness of the interwoven nature of STEAM subject areas. After seeing an article in the ‘South East Schools- Arts paper’ by Lorraine Cheshire titled ‘It’s time for a STEAM-based curriculum’, I contacted Lorraine to inform her of the successful outcomes we evaluated from our first STEAM project. Through our extended links to the Artswork Network of STEAM teachers in the South East, we have developed our third STEAM project based on the thrilling novel, ‘Hunger Games’ using an over-arching theme of ‘Structures’. Through the nature of the ‘Hunger Games’ series, we identified four victors of STEAM who were successful in various challenges and have been invited to extend their STEAM curriculum in the LEAP (Learning Enrichment Activities Programme) where they will be working towards achieving either Discover, Explore or Bronze Arts Award. Students from years 7/8 completing Bronze or Silver will then be sharing their skills in our STEAM Fete. The STEAM fete will be based on ‘Toy Story: to infinity and beyond’ the fete will highlight the ‘structure’ of qualifications and educational pathways to careers within STEAM industries both on the South Coast and nationally.

At Bridgemary School we have now embedded three STEAM projects within our KS3 curriculum. Our local feeder schools complete a two-day year 6-7 transition on the theme of ‘Recycle’. Our cross-curricular projects have created many rich outcomes such as a rise in the percentage of student attendance, reduction in behaviour incidents, increase in pupil progress and engagement and attainment in reading which can be directly linked to the cross-curricula STEAM projects that have connected the learning through creativity.

Below are some of the links to the interviews/reports we have had in regards to STEAM at Bridgemary School:

https://artswork.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/AW_STEAM_Toolkit_030919_V17_WEB_READY.pdf

http://www.tes.com/news/steam-power-benifits-integrating-arts-and-science-sponsored

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/education/gosport-school-reaps-rewards-from-new-project-1-7882608

http://www.steamco.org.uk/news/engagement

http://www.artswork.org.uk/news/buryfields-infant-school-host-first-primary-school-steam-network-meeting/

http://www.artswork.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/For-web-Newspaper-issue-3.pdf

http://www.personalisededucationnow.org.uk/2017/05/19/re-imagining-school-learning-exchange-lex-event-24th-june-london/