Newsletter
Spring 2023

Do you believe that maker education is a powerful way for children to become creators, innovators and problem solvers, but need more examples of how it can work in the classroom? Maker{School} provides opportunities for children and teachers in primary and early years settings to develop the skills, knowledge and mindsets for future success - inspiring creators, innovators and problem solvers. Find out more about Maker{School} below and register for your free place at the launch event.

So far in 2023 we've been busy delivering our aerospace engineering roadshow - Flying Futures - encouraging young people to consider a future in engineering. We are looking forward to delivering the final public event later in May as part of the Doncaster Remake Learning Days Festival.

Next month our Worldbuilders project draws to close. We've been working in partnership with schools and artists to explore how videogame 'worldbuilding' can increase access to digital literacies. Find out more about this and our other projects below.

Opportunities for schools

Making Maths - using the mathematics of nature to inspire primary mathematics lessons

We teamed up with researchers in the subject of Mathematical Biology to develop a making maths project for pupils in year 5 and 6.

Mathematical Biology is a subject dedicated to using maths to understand the natural world, from the cells in our body to the way animals move around their habitat.

Children will learn how to describe real life with numbers, and how to use this to make decisions and predictions. It is designed to give pupils the chance to discover how maths can be useful in everyday life.

There are no 'correct solutions', nor is there a set of given strategies pupils need to apply in order to complete this project. Find out more and get started with our free project resources.

Book a visit from Maker{Move} - our mobile pop-up makerspace

Maker{Move} activity day

A fun and fast paced introduction to makerspaces, book a day with Maker{Move} and we will bring three fully trained assistants and all of the resources and materials to you. Pupils will engage in STEAM challenges covering electronics, woodwork, robotics and digital creativity. Complete the booking enquiry form on our website and we will contact you to arrange a date and next steps.

Bespoke Maker{Move} workshop

Book a themed day to fit in with the topics you’re covering in school. Our usual varied Maker{Move} workshop but with activities and STEAM challenges tailored to you. Example days include, ‘Natural Disasters’, ’Traditional Tales’ or ‘Connections’, which was the theme for British Science Week 2023 earlier this spring.

The Maker{Move} van transports all of our resources to you

A typical Maker{Move} day set up in the hall

Pupils gathering craft materials from our 'Maker Emporium'

Maker{Storybox}: Free loanable resources for Early Years Settings

Maker{StoryBox} is a set of themed resources aimed at children aged 4-7. They are available for schools to borrow free of charge. Each box contains a story sack plus a range of fun activities to develop STEM or maker-based learning. There are 21 themes to choose from, each based on a topic in the Early Years Curriculum such as Robots or Minibeasts. To submit a loan request and find out about training contact our project partners at the STEM Ambassador Hub North Midlands, South & East Yorkshire at ambassadors@debp.org.

NEW: Maker{School} -Leading learning for makers of the future

The Maker{School} programme provides opportunities for children and teachers in primary and early years settings to develop the skills, knowledge and mindsets for future success - inspiring creators, innovators and problem solvers. Schools are recognised through bronze, silver and gold Maker{School} Awards - a structured approach which supports schools to develop their maker-centred learning. Teachers can join the Maker{School} Collective - a supportive and inspiring community of teachers.

In 2021, we formed a partnership with Arbourthorne Community Primary School to help develop the Maker{School} initiative and support them in becoming Sheffield’s first Maker{School}. Since then, we have welcomed a further 12 schools onto the Maker{School} programme. Watch our video to find out more.

Join us for the Maker{School} launch event - register today!

Thursday 25th May at the University of Sheffield.
Learn more about how making in schools can revolutionise learning. Be inspired, take away practical ideas and get involved with Maker{School}. The event is free but places are limited. Find out more and register online.

Maker{School} awards

Whatever skills, experience or, equipment you have, you can get started with Maker{School}. There is no ‘one size fits all’. We will support you to develop your own unique Maker{School} - one that builds on the expertise of your teachers, captures the interests of your children and works with the resources you already have.

Each award builds upon the previous to help schools structure their development and achieve recognition for their progress.

Maker{School} Collective

The Collective is a supportive and inspiring community of teachers who meet in Sheffield four times a year to try out some making, get inspired and grab a bite to eat! It is a chance for colleagues to ask questions, share ideas and influence the future direction of Maker{School}.

How does it work?

After-school sessions - 16:00 - 17:30 (light supper provided)
4 sessions per year
Booking required
Bring along your colleagues

Next Collective:

Thursday 22nd June 2023. Book your place here.

Professional development and training for educators

Whether you are totally new to maker education or are looking for the next step, we offer a range of online, face to face and blended opportunities for educators.

Our cutting-edge suite of training provision ensures there is something for everyone. From free information sessions and online courses to full CPD days we offer training for educators from museums, libraries, schools, community settings.

FutureLearn: Makerspaces for Creative Learning

A course for educators and parents interested in learning more about makerspaces and how to get started in your setting.

Duration: 3 Weeks (learn at your own pace)

Delivery: Online

Cost: Free

CPD for staff: ‘Getting started with makerspaces in primary schools’

A full day CPD to establish the basics of setting up classroom makerspaces and projects

Duration: 5-6 hrs

Delivery: Face to face (at your school)

Cost: Contact us to discuss your requirements and we will provide a quote.

FutureLearn: Teaching Digital Literacy: Videogames in Education

Dive into the fascinating world of videogames in education and discover the positive impact games can have on children’s learning.

Duration: 4 Weeks (Learn at your own pace)

Delivery: Online

Cost: Free

Library Educator Training

From maker clubs to story inspired making, libraries are a great place for a makerspace.

Duration: half or full day

Delivery: Face to face at your library

Cost: From £300

Museum Educator Training

Museums can provide inspiration for family fun and creative sessions with making.

Duration: half or full day

Delivery: Face to face at your museum

Cost: From £300

News and highlights

Flying Futures comes into land...

Flying Futures is a project that links engineers from local industries and primary schools in South Yorkshire. The project looks back at excellence in engineering through the lens of the Vulcan XH558 and explores the future of a more environmentally sustainable aerospace industry.

We introduced children to the world of Aerospace Engineering through engaging, hands-on activities with a long term goal to strengthen perceptions of engineering as an attractive and accessible future career option for all children. So far 89% of the children we asked said that they learned something new about making or engineering!

Thank you to each of our volunteers who brought their careers and experience in engineering to life in schools. We think pupils were pretty inspired. To quote one pupil "when I grow up I am going to be an engineer… keep your eyes on the television, you will hear about me there".

We visited 15 South Yorkshire primary schools, Magna and Kelham Island Museum. Our last Flying Futures public event is scheduled for the 30th May in Doncaster. Keep an eye on our website and twitter to find out more.

Flying Futures is led by Maker{Futures} in partnership with The Work-Wise Foundation and Vulcan to the Sky Trust, funded by a Royal Academy of Engineering Ingenious Award.

British Science Week 2023

In March, we celebrated British Science Week at Nether Edge Primary School, running a Year 4 team challenge around the theme of 'connections'. Pupils were problem solvers, creative thinkers and collaborators, using robots and cardboard construction techniques to rebuild a disaster stricken planet!

GUTS 2023

We exhibited at the annual Get up to Speed with STEM event at MAGNA science museum to promote STEM-related career opportunities to over 5000 young people and educators. We introduced visitors to some of our fun Flying Futures activities and had many conversations with students about our work and careers in STEM.

Maker{Futures} goes international

We are seeing an increasing interest in the work we do and how this may work in an international context.

STEAM-ECE: Developing a STEAM approach for Early Childhood Education in Indonesia

Funded by the British Council, this project has enabled us to partner with Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (Indonesian Education University) to co-design and deliver a training programme for pre-service early years teachers across Indonesia. In March we welcomed our research partners to Sheffield to showcase some our our methods and to discuss how these could be embedded within the new training programme.

Our research partners from Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

Building new partnerships

Members of the Welfare Commission from the Jakarta regional government visited us at the University of Sheffield to find out about our work to develop makerspaces and how developing the maker mindset from an early age could engage urban communities in Jakarta. This was such an exciting opportunity and we hope for future international projects!

Worldbuilders project: September 2021 - June 2023

As we near the end of our Worldbuilders project this summer, we are gathering insights from our partners and preparing to showcase what we have learned at our final face to face session in June.

In 2021 we partnered with the National Videogame museum to form a learning community with teachers, school leaders and digital artists to deliver the Worldbuilders project, a two year action research programme funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation that aims to build teachers’ confidence in using media arts to teach digital literacies. In a rapidly changing world, digital literacies are a priority of the EU, UNICEF, UNESCO and the current children's commissioners in the UK.

This project used videogame 'worldbuilding' to increase access to digital literacies. Videogames are not only hugely popular with children to play, when they make videogames they become digital artists and authors. Our activities positioned children as the videogame makers of the future. Throughout the project, teachers have been encouraged to adopt new approaches to using videogames with children, informed by an understanding of the sound, music, moving image and design.

We're looking forward to sharing our experiences of worldbuilding far and wide!

You can find out more about our Maker{Futures} projects on our website.

Maker{Futures} move to 'The Wave'

The team are settling into our wonderful new office space. In April we moved into The Wave, the new flagship building for Social Sciences at the University of Sheffield. We've got lots more room for our maker resources and we'll be holding our Maker{School} launch at The Wave later this month. Register online.

Celebrating the research project: ‘Reimagining trustworthy autonomous systems (TAS) with disabled young people’

It has been a brilliant and eye-opening experience to partner with researchers from the University of Sheffield and Greenacre School on their research project into trustworthy autonomous systems (TAS) with disabled young people.

This animation, featuring our programme director Dr Alison Buxton, showcases the fab work of the student co-researchers and the importance of collaboration for better tech and TAS in the future!

Coming up...

Code your own embroidery with Turtlestitch workshop (for ages 8-14)

Code... Draw.... Stitch! Join us at Weston Park May Fayre on Sunday 21st May 2023 to explore how textiles interact with computer coding using Turtlestitch. Turtlestitch is a browser-based educational programming language which generates geometric patterns for embroidery machines. We'll be showing children how to code patterns and then transfer their designs onto felt. Watch your embroidery take shape in a matter of seconds! Book your free place online.

Summer Reading Challenge - library events this summer

The Summer Reading Challenge returns this summer and we are teaming up with Sheffield Libraries to bring the theme - Ready, Set, Read! - to life. We want children to get creative, turning their favourite sport or game into 3D using cardboard and simple electronics.

We will be visiting 12 libraries across Sheffield between the 24th July and 2nd August 2023. Look out for more details on our website and Twitter. Don't forget to bring along a parent or guardian mascot!

To find out about booking a workshop for your library, community centre or museum please contact us.

Volunteering opportunities

Do you want to inspire the future generation of innovators and enhance your employability at the same time? We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to support our workshops in primary schools, libraries and museums. Check out our volunteer pages and fill out a volunteer information form. We’d love to hear from you!