Education
We are a key provider and coordinator of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education activities and support in Essex. These are for students at school and home, and are designed to both stimulate an interest in STEM and to open possible career paths.
» See upcoming CSES events for schools, children and families
Including our flagship annual TEXPO, projects and online competitions throughout the year.
Out-of-school clubs, masterclasses and projects to enhance learning with fun, practical activities.
Financial and in-kind support for your STEM Club, project or activity at school.
Interactive conferences attended by students, industry partners and the public sector.
A FREE annual CSES/ARU lecture from a high-profile speaker, open to all schools.
Careers guidance, STE(A)M activities, ideas and other material for all ages both in school and at home.
Take inspiration from what others have been getting up to.
Talk to us about dedicated support, resources, projects and competitions for your school.
(For Year 10 Students)
START DATE: 21 January 2023
TIME: 10:00-12:30 (every Saturday during term time)
COST: Free
VENUE: ARU Chelmsford Campus
The world is changing rapidly. This generation will face national and global challenges. They will need innovative thinking and versatile science and technology skills to tackle them.
Almost all careers will require an understanding of science and technology, as well as creative capacities such as imagination, curiosity and collaboration.
CSES and ARU have teamed up with the National Saturday Club to deliver a 15-week Science & Engineering Club where young people can explore these subjects creatively.
In a university setting, using ARU's state-of-the-art facilities, our Imagine! Saturday Club will give students hands-on experience of exciting and varied topics within science, technology and engineering.
The programme will also give an insight into the diverse education and career opportunities within the STEM sector, with plenty of opportunity to ask questions of practising scientists and engineers.
Read more: National Saturday Club: Imagine! Science and Engineering
From passion to project
Get your students thinking about issues they're passionate about or developing solutions to challenges they've come across in their own lives by doing a project for The Big Bang Competition.
Taking part in the UK's top STEM competition for young people is a brilliant way to inspire your students to think big and show their passion.
Enter your science or engineering project online by 30 March 2023 at 5pm.
A report from the event at Clacton Coastal Academy, 9 November 2022
Students from Clacton Coastal Academy took part in a "Step Into STEM" My Smarter Essex event as part of National Green Careers Week. The event was launched by Cllr Tony Ball, Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning and Employability, and focused on local career opportunities linked with renewable energy, sustainable materials and the skills students will need to develop to be successful in this sector.
The event, planned in conjunction with CSES, Essex County Council, NHS Integrated Care Board and the STEM Ambassador Hub, invited students to explore a variety of careers through practical, hands-on activities, including constructing their own solar and wind power sources, preparing fibre-optic wiring and exploring a working wind turbine through a VR headset.
Images on the theme of "Controlling the Climate Crisis"
Thank you to everyone who entered our 2022 Photographic Competition on the theme of Controlling the Climate Crisis. We were delighted to receive yet again an impressive selection of thoughtful, powerful, clever and sometimes funny images that speak to this important topic.
You can see all of the photographs at our web gallery here.
Congratulations to our winners, whose entries are shown below. Since quite a few of the entries (unfortunately) didn't meet the technical criteria or appeared to be copied from stock images, we have awarded a first prize (£60) and four highly commended prizes (£20), across the age categories. We look forward to running another competition next year.
A new project for Primary and Secondary School Students: November 2022 to June 2023
We are launching another new science, technology and computing project for primary and secondary schools. This year, the project celebrates the 100th anniversary of the founding of the BBC and Essex as the birthplace of radio!
We are looking for participating schools across Essex to become new CSES Affiliate Schools whose student teams will:
- Gain an understanding of the basic technology of radio transmission and develop hands-on electronics skills by constructing both a simple crystal set and a more sophisticated FM receiver.
- Research the history, roles and activities of key participants in the development of radio broadcasting (or other areas where arts and technology combine), especially highlighting the roles of women and others from under-represented groups.
- Develop and record a short 5-minute podcast introducing their chosen role model, which they will share within the classroom using a short-range FM transmitter and more widely with other schools through audio streaming.
- Prepare a poster, which together with their podcast will be judged at our annual TEXPO in June 2023.
To maximise the success of these student-led projects, additional competitive funding may be available from our CSES STEM Club Bursary.
There will be PRIZES for the most innovative, best research and greatest impact entry in each age group, presented at our annual awards ceremony at Anglia Ruskin University in July. In consultation with your CSES Champion, teams may be funded to enter their project for an appropriate level National CREST Award.
We are now looking for schools across Essex (including the unitary authorities) to become CSES School Affiliate Members and discuss how they would like to be involved in this exciting project.
Please contact our Vice President for Education, Professor David Humber, for further information (
Read more: Giving Voice: Stories of STE(A)M through the technology of radio
- TEXPO 2022
- 2022 TEXPO results
- TEXPO 2022 and Photo Competition – ONE WEEK left to enter!
- Big Bang 2022 deadline extended
- My Smarter Essex: The Internet – What's really going on?
- Call for entries: TEXPO 2022 and Big Bang
- STEM Networking: Science and Technology for All
- Save the date: Schools' TEXPO 2022
- Centenary Photographic Competition 2022: Controlling the Climate Crisis
- Photographic Competition 2021 winners announced