The Big Ideas Programme
A STEM and enterprise programme focused on sustainability and youth empowerment - nearly 37,000 students nationwide have benefitted so far!
The Neon quality mark shows this activity has been reviewed and meets Neon's quality standards.
Overview
The Big Ideas Programme is an annual STEM and enterprise programme that challenges students to develop creative solutions to real-world sustainability issues.
Delivered in schools and supported by a network of business partners, the programme connects students with industry mentors who guide them as they work in teams to develop their own “Big Ideas” around the environmental challenges they care about most. It’s a flexible, structured programme with ready-to-use resources, making it easy to embed into STEM lessons, enrichment or careers provision while building students’ creativity, teamwork, problem-solving and communication skills.
Students submit their ideas to the Big Ideas Competition, with opportunities to progress to Regional Finals hosted at universities and a prestigious National Final at the Palace of Westminster in London. Along the way, students gain valuable experience presenting and pitching to professionals, and those who reach Regional Finals are awarded a CREST Bronze Award.
The programme is aligned with key frameworks including the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Skills Builder (Impact Level 4), the UK Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, and the Gatsby Benchmarks, supporting both curriculum and careers outcomes.
Capacity
Open to secondary schools in England and Scotland.
The programme typically works with 60–150 students per school (with flexibility for larger groups) and reaches around 3,000 students nationally each year.
Cost
A subsidised participation fee of £750 covers the full journey from an in-school Big Ideas Day through to potential progression to the National Final.
Timeline
- The programme starts in September
- Big Ideas Days take place from start of October to end of January
- Big Ideas submitted to the Competition before Easter
- Regional Finals take place in May
- The National Final takes place end of June/start of July
Details
- School subject
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- Biology
- Chemistry
- Technology/computing
- Design and technology
- Engineering
- Maths
- Physics
- Curriculum links
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- Design and technology: Cooking and nutrition
- Biology
- Engineering
- Design and technology
- Computing
- Physics: Electricity and electromagnetism
- Biology: Material cycles and energy
- Physics: Energy
- Physics: Space physics
- Technologies - Food and textile technology
- Sciences - Biological systems
- Technologies - Craft, design, engineering and graphics: Application of engineering
- Technologies - Craft, design, engineering and graphics
- Sciences - Forces, electricity and waves: Electricity
- Computing science
- Sciences - Planet earth: Energy sources and sustainability
- Sciences - Planet earth
- Sciences - Planet earth: Space
- Design thinking and engineering: Engineering
- Design thinking and engineering
- Physics: Electricity
- Physics: Energy transfer
- Physics
- Sciences - Organisms and health: Interdependence of plants and animals
- Sciences - Organisms and health
- Technology & design - Manufacturing
- Technology & design - Design
- 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 - Control
- Sciences - Earth and universe: The solar system and universe
- Group size
- Whole class, Whole year group, Whole school
- Participation level
- Audience participation, Hands-on
- Duration
- Multi-session - set days
- Cost
- Cost applies
- Location
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In-school
- England
- Scotland
Learning outcomes
- Improve engagement, interest or enjoyment in STEM subjects
- 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:
- 3 - Addressing the needs of each pupil
- 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
- 5 - An accessible and engagement enrichment offer
