Operation Spitfire 4 Schools programme
A package of in-school lessons with accompanying STEM kit, expert visits, museum tour and workshop, plus an extra-curricular project designed to inspire Stoke and Staffordshire's future engineers with their local history of engineering prowess.
The Neon quality mark shows this activity has been reviewed and meets Neon's quality standards.
Overview
Operation Spitfire 4 Schools is a new Secondary curriculum which aims to inspire Stoke and Staffordshire's future engineers, scientists and designers. Enhance your students’ STEM knowledge & skills and instil civic pride through an engaging, place-based and relevant curriculum.
The package includes:
- 12-month access to a digital portal with everything needed to deliver the curriculum: 9 lessons (9 hours) including lesson plans, teacher notes, accompanying slide deck and worksheets
- an educational visit to The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent, including access to the Spitfire Heroes and Flight School Workshop
- a visit from a Spitfire Expert to your school for a Q&A
- an extra-curricular STEM project called ‘Why do Engineers have to be excellent at failing?’ where the objective is to create a solar-powered propeller car. All kit is provided.
In the pilot evaluation over 70% of secondary pupils showed increased interest in STEM. “I used to think I hate science but now I think I love science because you can learn so much from it.”
Ready to take flight? The team behind the programme would love to discuss how Operation Spitfire could work in your setting.
Cost: £19 per student
Minimum group size: 25 students
Details
- School subject
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- Chemistry
- Technology/computing
- Design and technology
- Engineering
- Maths
- Physics
- Curriculum links
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- Computing
- Physics: Electricity and electromagnetism
- Biology: Material cycles and energy
- Physics: Energy
- Engineering
- Physics: Space physics
- Design and technology
- Sciences - Forces, electricity and waves: Electricity
- Computing science
- Sciences - Planet earth: Energy sources and sustainability
- Sciences - Planet earth
- Technologies - Craft, design, engineering and graphics: Application of engineering
- Sciences - Planet earth: Space
- Technologies - Craft, design, engineering and graphics
- Physics: Electricity
- Physics: Energy transfer
- Design thinking and engineering: Engineering
- Physics
- Technology & design - Communication: Use of ICT tools (including 3D modelling)
- Sciences - Forces and energy: Using electricity
- Technology & design - Control: Incorporate control systems in products
- Sciences - Earth and universe: The environment and human influences
- Sciences - Forces and energy
- Technology & design - Design
- Technology & design - Manufacturing
- Technology & design - Control
- Sciences - Earth and universe: The solar system and universe
- Group size
- Small groups
- Participation level
- Watching or listening
- Duration
- Multi-session - set days
- Cost
- Cost applies
- Location
-
Offsite
- The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent
Learning outcomes
- Improve engagement, interest or enjoyment in STEM subjects
- Attainment and progress
- Learning what the engineering workplace is like
- Develop engineering employability skills
- Improve awareness and aspirations for STEM-related study and careers
- Challenge stereotypes by showing the diversity of disciplines, people and skills involved in engineering
Frameworks
Gatsby benchmarks
The Gatsby benchmarks are a framework for good careers guidance for schools across all of England and in some areas across the rest of the UK. This experience helps your school to reach the following benchmarks:
- 2 - Learning from career and labour market information
- 4 - Linking curriculum learning to careers
- 5 - Encounters with employers and employees
- 7 - Encounters with further and higher education
EqualEx
- Introduce and Inspire
Essential skills
The essential skills every young person needs to succeed in education and their future career. Find out more at the Skills Builder Partnership. This experience builds the following skills:
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Enrichment framework
- 7 - An outcomes-focused enrichment offer
- 5 - An accessible and engagement enrichment offer
