STEM Horizons Programme

WE ARE PROUD TO SERVE AS THE LEAD HUB FOR THE HG FOUNDATION'S FLAGSHIP NATIONAL STEM HORIZONS PROGRAMME. MR ROBSON, COMPUTER SCIENCE PARTNERSHIPS, SUPPORTED BY MR SMITH, DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS, WILL COORDINATE THIS EXCITING NETWORK OF STATE AND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS TO ADDRESS THE CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF STEM TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN COMPUTER SCIENCE. 

Please see below The Hg Foundation's press release: 

STEM Horizons tackles a critical challenge in UK education: significant shortages of specialist STEM teachers. This gap hits students from lower-income backgrounds hardest, limiting their future education and career opportunities in technology sectors. The programme creates a national network of strategic partnerships between independent and state schools, initially focused on Computer Science - a subject where teaching shortages are particularly acute. 

The initiative specifically targets Year 8-11 students (ages 13-16) who are in schools with above-average levels of disadvantage. For many of these young people, particularly girls and those from low-income backgrounds, tech pathways can seem inaccessible. STEM Horizons is about broadening horizons—showing students the diverse and exciting career possibilities that Computer Science can unlock. 

Ian Davenport, Programme Director of STEM Horizons and founder and former CEO of the Royal National Children SpringBoard Foundation, said: "This programme is inspired by the genuine enthusiasm of participating schools to create and sustain meaningful and collaborative structures.

"We have the realistic ambition to build a nationwide network of independent state school STEM partnerships focused on raising the aspiration and attainment of students from low-income backgrounds and girls, groups which have hitherto been underrepresented in the tech industry.

"Importantly, each partnership will be underpinned by a thorough impact evaluation. We aim to scale the programme quickly and effectively in the coming years."

A Comprehensive Partnership Model 
STEM Horizons creates a network of expert teachers and shared resources between the independent and state schools, creating pathways to future education and career opportunities that might otherwise remain closed. Through the hub-and-spoke model and comprehensive support system, the programme is driving three key outcomes:

• Improved GCSE Computer Science grades for all participants, with special focus on girls and students from low-income backgrounds
• Increased take-up of STEM subjects at A-level and degree level
• Increased understanding of the career pathways from computer science and other STEM subjects

The programme also hopes to develop a scalable partnership model that can be expanded to other STEM subjects nationwide.

John Smith, Programme Manager of STEM Horizons and Director of Partnerships at RGS Newcastle, said: "This is an ambitious undertaking with the scope to make a significant impact on participants and communities. Thanks to the vision and generosity of The Hg Foundation, we have been able to fund leadership time at RGS Newcastle to manage this national project.

"In time, we will have placed specialist Computer Science teachers in five regional hubs, each linking with at least five partner state schools. We are laser-focused on our goals to raise attainment, uptake and career aspirations in computing. Furthermore, we aim to show that this cross-sector model is truly scalable and transferable to other subjects."

The Hub-and-Spoke Model
At the heart of the first phase of the programme are five independent schools serving as expert hubs. Each hub works with a community of local state schools, sharing expertise, resources and joining forces to drive improved STEM outcomes. This creates powerful educational connections which will benefit over 1,150 GCSE students, with an additional 1,500 students participating in the Year 9 Bright Sparks programme.

University College School (London), Royal Grammar School (RGS) (Newcastle), Oundle School, Magdalen College School (Oxford) and Norwich School are all involved in delivering the pilot. RGS Newcastle serves as our Lead Hub School, coordinating operations across the network.

Geoffrey Stanford, Headteacher of RGS Newcastle, said: "We are delighted to bring the innovative STEM Horizons programme to the North-East, a region where educational outcomes lag behind the rest of the country. Through our wider partnerships programme, we have seen the power of authentic collaboration between schools, which can meaningfully boost attainment and access to opportunity for all involved.

"The rigorous independent evaluation of this pilot project by NFER makes it particularly exciting as a template for future cross-sector programmes in STEM and beyond."