Abstract:

Introduction:
Designed to reflect regional engineering heritage, opportunities, and challenges, the Royal Academy of Engineering’s 'This is Engineering: Schools' programme moves beyond a one-size-fits-all national model, offering a flexible and locally tailored approach. This paper explores the development and impact of our four regional programmes. It will examine how the programme address’ social and economic differences between urban and rural areas while showcasing the diversity of local engineering careers.
The programme aims to improve learning opportunities by bringing real-world engineering practice into schools and colleges, changing learners’ perceptions of engineering, and boosting teacher knowledge and confidence – whilst reflecting the regional context of all the areas we work in.

The Regional Model:
The long-term, targeted programme develops a “community of practice” via a cluster model consisting of primary and secondary schools, further and higher education institutions, local STEM organisations, local authorities, and STEM employers. All organisations working towards the same objectives provides a continuum of activity as pupils progress through their educational journey and strengthens the programme’s sustainability and legacy.

Regional programme managers and lead teachers utilise a toolkit consisting of:
- The provision of grant funding to schools to deliver activities and experiences that enhance the ‘E’ in STEM. The Academy works with teachers to design a tailored programme that aligns with the school’s aims.
- Establishing teacher peer-to-peer support networks to foster a culture of innovation, enabling educators to share best practices, and enhance their confidence in delivering STEM education.
- Developing strong partnerships with other STEM providers enable the Academy to deliver a comprehensive programme of CPD training for teachers, ensuring educators receive targeted support and are fully equipped to maximise the impact of the grant funding allocated to their schools.
- Teaching and learning resource boxes that support educators with practical, hands-on activities linked to real-world engineering challenges.
- Opportunities for engineering employers to work with schools to develop STEM challenges which contextualise learning and provide young people with opportunities to gain a greater understanding of and insight into STEM careers.
- The provision of Post-16 and higher education scholarships supports pupils’ progression beyond school, helping remove financial barriers, encourage continued engagement with STEM, and provide additional engineering experiences.

Outcomes and Impact:
Since the Academy’s schools work began in 2005, a series of independent evaluations have built a strong evidence base that has demonstrated the programme’s impact and informed a research-driven model of continuous improvement.
Evidence of impact includes:
- Higher rates of attainment and uptake of STEM subjects in post-16 education.
- Improved perceptions of engineering careers. Improved knowledge of pathways to engineering careers for both students and teachers.
- Enhanced levels of local employer advocacy and engagement.
- Increased demand from pupils resulted in several schools trialling BTEC engineering.
- A rise in demand for college-level engineering course (in one region, two new engineering qualifications launched to meet demand in one college and a tripling of cohort size in another).

Keywords:

Education, engineering.