EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

  The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Programme aims to promote science, technology, engineering and maths to young people within Yorkshire and Humber.

  Creative Minds is one element of the programme, which established a network of learning provision for STEM activities using the resources and expertise of the region's museums, archives and libraries. In doing so, the programme created science and discovery centres within the region.

  Following the successful completion of our previous STEM investment, this submission aims to look at the progess made in the Yorkshire and Humber region regarding science and discovery centres, how they were funded and the future of such centres.

1.  YORKSHIRE FORWARD

  Yorkshire Forward is the Regional Development Agency (RDA) charged with improving the Yorkshire and Humber economy.

  1.1  Yorkshire Forward is one of nine RDAs set up after the 1997 Regional Development Agencies Bill.

  1.2  The 270,000 businesses in the Yorkshire and Humber region contribute to an economy worth in excess of £75.2 billion, while over 5 million people mean the region ranks alongside countries including Ireland, Greece, Norway and Singapore.

  1.3  Yorkshire Forward drives the success of the region by using the £2.50 we get each week on behalf of each of our taxpayers to provide them with more jobs, access to new markets for businesses and to regenerate our town and city centres.

  1.4  Yorkshire Forward is the guardian of the Regional Economic Strategy for the region and works to develop the region and make it a truly world class location in which to live, work and do business. As part of its work to achieve its RES targets, Yorkshire Forward aims to encourage enterprise education throughout all areas and communities of the region.

2.  PAST SUPPORT OF SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY CENTRES BY YORKSHIRE FORWARD

  2.1  Yorkshire Forward has supported a number of science and discovery centres (museums) in the region, under the regional learning & skills project—Creative Minds.

  2.2  The aim of the Creative Minds project was to establish a network of learning provision for STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) activities using the resources and expertise of the region's museums, archives and libraries. A main component of this was to develop the Eureka! Museum for Children in Halifax and the Sheffield Industrial Museum Trust/Kelham Island as Centre's of Excellence for the Region and leaders in best practice in informal learning.

  2.3  The focus was on supporting educational attainment, specifically in science, technology, engineering, and maths for children between five and eighteen years old and share best practice across the region's museums, libraries and archives sector by delivering high quality training and development activities for education staff, increasing the numbers of STEM learning opportunities for young people in a non traditional environment (including science clubs) and the development of new STEM education resources.

3.  THE CONTRIBUTION OF SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY CENTRES IN PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND ATTRACTING YOUNG PEOPLE TO SCIENCE SUBJECTS AND SCIENTIFIC CAREERS IN THE YORKSHIRE AND HUMBER REGION

  3.1  The main successes for the Creative Minds project include the following:

3.1.1  174 network members engaged across the region demonstrating the value of Science and Discovery centres in public engagement. Members were able to apply for funding to develop a STEM initiative at their organisation. As a result many fantastic STEM related resources were developed and delivered to the region's young people. This included Arty Maths, Science Made Simple, Young Explorers, Family Friendly STEM, amongst many others.

3.1.2  The "Explore the Eureka Moment" travelling exhibition, developed and housed in a number of the regions museums, shared best practices for STEM education (including Streetlife Museum in Hull, Bradford Industrial Museum and Yorkshire Museum in York).

3.1.3  The "Soundspace" gallery, developed and opened at Eureka! Museum, Halifax, won a prestigious European tourism award ("Les Trophees Kids"). The gallery aims to encourage 3-12 year olds to realise their creative potential by exploring sound, music and performance.

3.1.4  The "Soundgarden" STEM gallery was created for the Under 5s to complement Soundspace developed at Eureka! Soundgarden is a giant sensory sound gallery for the under fives and the first of its kind in the UK.

3.1.5  Creative Minds has delivered excellent training and workshops for museums, libraries and archives staff. This was so well received that museums outside the region paid to attend activities (eg Imperial War Museum London).

3.1.6  The ability of project staff supported the delivery of other Yorkshire Forward targets, including many activities to support Enterprise education.

3.1.7  The main weakness/failure has been the inability to secure additional funding from DCMS/DfES to sustain activities and new developments within the region beyond Yorkshire Forward's investment and to roll out the programme in other regions.

4.  EVIDENCE 1SUPPORTING SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY CENTRES

  4.1  There is much evidence to advocate this type of non-traditional learning environment. The Hoshin report which evaluated STEM activities in the Yorkshire and Humber region shows the following:

4.1.1  There is much evidence to advocate this type of non-traditional learning environment. This was illustrated in the Hoshin report which evaluated STEM activities in the Yorkshire and Humber region and shows the following:

4.1.2  Creative Minds increased museum numbers and family learning in STEM.

4.1.3  Museums are more likely to engage with urban schools that traditionally do not do as well in SATs as rural schools. Overall contact with a museum appears to have a positive effect on SATs results in STEM subjects. There are some examples where the improvement is spectacular: KS2 Science 4+ in the Humber; and KS2 Maths Level 4+ in North Yorkshire.

5.  RECOMMENDATIONS

  5.1  Museums have an important part to play in delivery of STEM activities. By providing relief from the classroom and National Curriculum they are able to energise young people.

  5.2  Any funding of Science and Discovery centres would be welcomed and supported in the region. This could build on the model already funded by Yorkshire Forward in the region.

  5.3  Additionally, museums such as Eureka! do not currently receive any formal public funding support because they do not house a permanent collection as described in the traditional museum definition. This is despite their contribution to delivering education/culture to communities, their lead on innovative STEM education and their willingness to share best practice with other museums. Yorkshire Forward would recommend that such centres were renamed as science and discovery centres, allowing them to be assessed on what they already do, their forward delivery plans for science should they receive funding for this in the future.

June 2007