News | Smallpeice Trust

28th November 2023

Unlocking STEM Potential: Join Our STEM Sessions Virtual Adventures!

Designed to inspire and engage, these FREE, virtual events provide a unique opportunity for Secondary School and home-schooled students in Years 8 and 9 across England and Wales, S2 and S3 in Scotland, and Years 9 and 10 in Northern Ireland...

13th November 2023

Arkwright Engineering Scholarships Celebrate Exceptional Young Talent with Impressive Diversity

Applicants included 942 (68%) males, 431 (31%) females, and 18 (1%) who identified as non-binary, highlighting the programme's commitment to fostering inclusivity and diversity...

10th November 2023

Helen Cuthill appointed Chief Executive Officer of The Smallpeice Trust

The Smallpeice Trust today announced the appointment of Helen Cuthill as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who takes up her role in the New Year.

9th November 2023

2023 Arkwright Awards Ceremonies Celebrate Diverse Excellence

A significant focus of the Arkwright Awards is to bridge the educational divide...

6th November 2023

Catalyst of momentum for engineering aspirations of secondary school students

Where Partners Fuel the Future of Engineering Education...

2nd November 2023

Unlock the Sky! Your Classroom's Gateway to STEM Brilliance, Supported by the NCR Foundation!

Get ready to transform your students aged 9-11 into aerospace engineers for a day!

25th October 2023

Join the Coding Success 3: Electrified! Programme

Your Gateway to the future of education!

17th October 2023

Igniting the Engineering Aspirations of Secondary School Students

Where Partners Spark the Engineering Dreams of Tomorrow...

12th October 2023

The search is on for the next generation of engineering talent!

2024 applications now open for students to apply to the esteemed Arkwright Engineering Scholarship programme!

9th October 2023

Professor Alison Halstead appointed as Chair of The Smallpeice Trust

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Alison Halstead, a former Pro Vice Chancellor of Aston University, as the new Chair of the Smallpeice Trust, marking a new chapter in our journey.

6th October 2023

Road to RIAT Returns!

This year, we are inviting primary schools for children across the UK to join us on this exciting adventure. Students aged 9-11 and in primary school can soar into a world of innovation and creativity with a series of FREE captivating activities. Primary School Teachers, Register Now!

4th October 2023

World Space Week 2023: Unveiling the Wonders of Space Science and Engineering

In celebration of World Space Week, we want to share a case study from our recent Space Science and Engineering course, delivered this year by The Smallpeice Trust, in partnership with The University of Leicester.

2nd October 2023

On World Architecture Day - a Structural Engineering Case Study

In celebration of World Architecture Day (October 2nd 2023), we caught up with one of our Structural Engineering students and spoke to her about the impact that our residential courses had on career aspirations, educational choices, and personal growth...

27th September 2023

UNLOCKING THE FUTURE: A LOOK AT OUR SUMMER COURSES IN 2023

Our summer courses were more extensive and more accessible than ever before! We delivered 25 events during the summer of 2023, which ranged from in-person residential experiences to virtual programs, ensuring that students from various backgrounds and locations had the chance to participate.

25th September 2023

2022/23 Arkwright Engineering Scholarship Results

Of the 320 Arkwright Engineering Scholarships awarded so far, 37% were presented to female students and 54% to young people from state schools. Overall, 1391 hard-working students applied to the 2023 programme, with 622 reaching the final interview stage.

13th July 2023

Like to travel to Mars - without having to leave home?

We are excited to extend an invitation to young girls residing in London to participate in our exclusive Human Habitat on Mars virtual course this summer.

6th July 2023

Formula 1 drives STEM engagement in UK schools with STEM Challenge Days

Formula 1, the F1 teams and the FIA are working together to drive STEM engagement in UK schools through a series of STEM Challenge Days facilitated by education charity, The Smallpeice Trust.

23rd June 2023

We spoke with Senior Systems Engineer at Leonardo – Olivia Freestone to find out more about her role working for one of the UK’s foremost engineering organisations

What’s it like working for a dynamic company like Leonardo?

23rd June 2023

Meet Kayleigh Paxman who is currently working for GE HealthCare as a Field Service Trainee and find out more about her role and the importance of encouraging more females into STEM

Meet Kayleigh Paxman who is currently working for GE HealthCare as a Field Service Trainee and find out more about her role and the importance of encouraging more females into STEM.

19th June 2023

We celebrate women in engineering every day!

As we approach International Women in Engineering Day on June 23rd, we’re very excited to be running our fantastic virtual Primary Glider Challenge in which we will see primary schools across the UK come together to see who can design and construct the best glider that can travel the furthest in the air.

13th June 2023

A parent's perspective on a Smallpeice course

We spotted Paul’s post on LinkedIn about his daughter Izzy attending our Girls into Engineering Course in August 2022

25th May 2023

We spoke with UK Engineering Skills & Capabilities Lead at Thales in the UK – Robyn Dewar to find out about the many aspects of her role

We spoke with UK Engineering Skills & Capabilities Lead at Thales in the UK – Robyn Dewar to find out about the many aspects of her role.

22nd May 2023

The Smallpeice Trust and Amazon Future Engineer join forces to inspire the next generation of computer engineers

The Smallpeice Trust is delighted to be partnering with Amazon to help inspire the next generation of computer scientists as part of the Amazon Future Engineer programme.

17th May 2023

Explore Engineering with the University of Bath this Summer

If you’re interested in spending three days this summer helping to solve problems faced by real-life engineers in a top university – then The Smallpeice Trust has a great opportunity for you!

12th May 2023

Smallpeice speaks with Jenni Watt, Sales and Business Growth Graduate at Thales in the UK

We recently spoke with Sales and Business Growth Graduate at Thales in the UK – Jenni Watt to find out about the best aspects of her role working for one of the UK’s largest engineering organisations.

24th April 2023

GE HealthCare and Leonardo working with The Smallpeice Trust to encourage more girls into engineering

With up to two million more engineers needed in the UK by 2025, we’re working hard to expand the talent pool by providing more opportunities for young people including those from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds.

12th April 2023

Dare to imagine the energy world of tomorrow with OPITO

Global safety and skills organisation, OPITO, has partnered with The Smallpeice Trust to inspire future energy careers by connecting engineering experts worldwide with the next generation of talent.

20th March 2023

Helping students with STEM potential soar

This year students will get a glimpse into life as an aerospace engineer, with access to fantastic facilities at Kingston University and the opportunity to meet the team from Virgin Atlantic.

15th March 2023

JUST THREE OUT OF EVERY 10 GIRLS STUDYING TECHNOLOGY AT SCHOOL GO ON TO BECOME TECH UNDERGRADUATES

Almost a third of young girls with an interest in tech-based subjects don’t go on to take part in technology programmes at university, figures revealed in a global study.

20th February 2023

THE SMALLPEICE TRUST ANNUAL REPORT IS NOW AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD

The Smallpeice Trust is pleased to announce the publication of its Annual Report for 2021/22 which showcases the amazing work achieved by the Trust and its partners during this academic year. The report focuses on the Trust’s impact in delivering interactive learning opportunities to encourage children to study STEM subjects

6th February 2023

No fast track to success

Motor racing is sport at its most exciting, with super-fit drivers playing high-speed games of cat and mouse in sun-drenched cities around the world. Starting grids dotted with Hollywood actors add extra stardust to proceedings, and the result is a heady mix of adrenaline, talent and fame.

30th January 2023

Arkwright Engineering Scholars take first and third places in prestigious engineering competition

Arkwright Engineering Scholars Scarlet Ward and Rhys Wijeratne recently took first and third places respectively in the Technology, Design and Innovation (TDI) Challenge competition, run by Arkwright scholarship sponsor, the Manufacturing Technology Association (MTA).

30th November 2022

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP

Leonardo, the Aerospace, Defence and Security company, partner with The Smallpeice Trust to inspire more young people into engineering. They support a wide range of activities including sponsoring the Girls into Engineering course, supporting STEM Days for local schools, and hosting STEM-focused family days. These...

29th November 2022

DELIVERING SOCIAL VALUE

Thales recently outlined its approach to social value, with a collection of programmes designed to deliver a positive contribution to its communities, the environment and society at...

28th November 2022

IGNITING STUDENTS PASSION FOR STEM

Over the last year, nearly 1,000 students attended an engineering course to fuel their passion for STEM subjects. Evaluation of the Smallpeice course programme showed that 87% saw their interest in engineering increase, 92% increased their awareness of future careers and routes into engineering, 87% thought the course encouraged them to consider studying engineering.

21st November 2022

SUPER STEM CHALLENGES

The Smallpeice Trust has an in-house programme development team, who develop new activities and make sure our current activities deliver maximum impact. Our STEM Challenge Days are currently going through their annual review, so we asked our Programme Content Manager Nathan to tell us more about his role and some of our...

14th November 2022

ALL-GIRLS STEM CLUB FLIES HIGH!

We are pleased to support teachers across the UK by providing STEM enrichment, such as Think Kits, which come with the tools and resources to start or help sustain a STEM Club for up to 20 students, aged between 11 and 16, in your school. Each kit complements the National Curriculum in science, technology, engineering and...

28th October 2022

75 PER CENT OF TEACHERS AGREE GIRLS FACE GREATER BARRIERS TO ENGINEERING CAREERS

Three quarters (75 per cent) of teachers believe girls face additional barriers to pursuing careers in engineering, according to new research released today by the Arkwright Engineering Scholarship programme. The programme is encouraging schools and engineering industry leaders to redouble their efforts to tackle the...

9th September 2022

SMALLPEICE PAYS TRIBUTE TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

The Trustees and staff at The Smallpeice Trust are saddened to learn of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

25th August 2022

COMPUTER, ELECTRONICS AND ROBOTICS

Last week we travelled down to the University of Southampton for a week filled with fun, learning and new friendships on our Computer, Electronics and Robotics course.

9th August 2022

SMALLPEICE TRUST ALUMNA APPOINTED PROFESSOR AT TEDI LONDON

We were so delighted this Monday when we received an email from Professor Laurie Rowe, who wanted to share her gratitude about The Smallpeice Trust’s Insight course she attended and how it has been instrumental in her career in engineering and medical technology.

20th July 2022

SUSTAINABLE HOMES

Last week we were delighted to attend Birmingham City University again, this time for our Sustainable Homes course.

13th July 2022

MICRO COMPUTING

Last week we had the pleasure of conducting our Micro Computing course at Birmingham City University.

26th May 2022

SMALLPEICE NOMINEE ANNOUNCED AS RUNNER UP OF 2022 DAVID CLARK PRIZE

The 2022 David Clark prize winners have been announced – with three outstanding teachers being recognised for their hard work and dedication to showcasing real world engineering in the classroom.

10th March 2022

BE A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL TO INSPIRE ENGINEERS OF THE FUTURE

Engineers from companies across the West Midlands are being asked to sign up to help develop and deliver a new project for primary schools, funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering.

21st February 2022

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM PARTNER WITH THE SMALLPEICE TRUST

University College Birmingham have unveiled an exciting new range of engineering college courses. The Smallpeice Trust is delighted to partner with them to inspire more young people in Birmingham to follow a career path in engineering.

15th February 2022

PLAYGROUND GAMES TO SUPPORT VIDEO GAME DESIGN COMPETITION

After a successful launch last year, we are excited to announce the development of our partnership with Playground Games, the triple-A games developer behind the Forza Horizon series, to run a video game design competition for KS3 students at State Schools across the UK.

21st January 2022

NOMINATE AN EXCEPTIONAL ENGINEERING TEACHER FOR THE DAVID CLARK PRIZE

Do you know an outstanding teacher that has gone the extra mile to inspire young people into engineering? Nominations are now open for the ERA Foundation’s David Clark Prize.

17th January 2022

FROM PLAYING WITH LEGO® TO MAKING THE AIRBUS A380 FLY

Hear how one of our alumni reached for the sky and followed her passion. Vicki Murdie CEng MIMechE, Innovation Lead for the Future Flight Challenge, UK Research and Innovation.

10th January 2022

ERA SHAH: ARKWRIGHT ALUMNA AND TOP 50 WOMEN IN ENGINEERING 2021

Arkwright Engineering Scholarships Alumna Era Shah talks about her journey into engineering, and the path that lead to her being recognised as one of the WES Top 50 Women in Engineering 2021.

13th December 2021

THE SMALLPEICE TRUST ANNUAL REPORT IS NOW AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD

The Smallpeice Trust is delighted to announce the publication of this year’s Annual Report, showcasing the incredible work achieved by the Trust and its partners during the 2020/21 academic year. The report focuses on the impact of the Trust in delivering interactive activities to encourage children to study STEM subjects

14th September 2021

Virgin Atlantic working with new charity partners to support STEM initiatives for young people

The Smallpeice Trust is delighted to be one of three new charity partners, working with Virgin Atlantic as part of their Passport to Change Programme. Virgin Atlantic has pledged £2.5 million through customer donations over five years to support STEM initiatives with grants, sponsorships, and investments.

30th June 2021

McLaren Racing forms pioneering alliance to diversify talent in motorsport

McLaren Racing is pioneering a strategic alliance with four expert partners to drive forward a programme of collaborative initiatives to diversify talent in motorsport. The four partners are: Women’s Engineering Society (WES); EqualEngineers; The Smallpeice Trust; and Creative Access.

8th June 2021

Gaining experience in a cutting-edge field of engineering outside the classroom

Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) professionals really do work on the edge of innovation; they are solving real-world problems every day and are playing a key role in shaping our future. Here Sophia Carpio, former Arkwright Engineering Scholar and student of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Sheffield, explores how her experience at one of The Smallpeice Trust’s residential courses in 2018 helped equip her with the insight she needed into the cutting-edge field of nuclear engineering.

4th June 2021

Engineers and the chocolate factory – how engineers are helping change the world

From building skyscrapers, to developing renewable energy technologies and producing confectionery delights for people to enjoy around the world, engineers are working hard behind the scenes to create, make and innovate for today and the future. COVID-19 has, however, shone a much-needed spotlight on the talented engineers, scientists and mathematicians helping solve the big challenges and make a difference in society.

24th May 2021

IET FIRST^® LEGO^® League partners with Coding Success to inspire the engineers of the future

IET FIRST® LEGO® League is joining forces with Coding Success, the free STEM educational programme fully funded by BAE Systems, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, to help students take their science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills to the next level in an interactive, global competition.

5th May 2021

Coding Success programme launches to help teachers boost coding and robotics skills

Royal Navy and RAF team up with BAE Systems, fully funding 600 non-selective state schools to take part in programme to excite students about STEM

29th April 2021

Taking young people on a first step towards their CyberFirst journey

Education Scotland is hosting a CLPL webinar on CyberFirst student courses on 10 May. A chance for teachers, parents and carers to hear more about the programme from the CyberFirst delivery team.

31st March 2021

13th January 2021

An update from our CEO

2021 has got off to an unexpectedly mixed start; with the light at the end of the tunnel afforded by the Government’s ambitious vaccination programme being juxtaposed with a third national lockdown and school closures confirmed until February half term at the earliest. While this is not the start to 2021 that any of us hoped or planned for, it is the one we must respond to.

28th September 2020

An update from our CEO

COVID-19 has made it more difficult for charities such as The Smallpeice Trust to continue our traditional programmes for young people, however we have been working hard to develop new ways to engage and inspire young people regarding engineering. The Trust has undergone a digital transformation, with extensive programme development being undertaken by our dedicated team during lockdown.

27th August 2020

The RAF takes students on a virtual humanitarian aid mission

In partnership with The Smallpeice Trust charity, the RAF has announced its new virtual online course in ‘Humanitarian Aid Engineering Experience’, tasking young people with delivering support to remote areas in need. Aimed at Year nine, 13-14 year old students, the virtual course will provide first-hand experiences of how the RAF supports the many challenges facing the world; from floods in the UK, to the Ebola outbreak in Africa, and devastating hurricanes in the Caribbean.

21st April 2020

Message from Dr Kevin P Stenson, CEO of The Smallpeice Trust

In these challenging and uncertain times, I hope you and your families are all keeping safe and well. As Chief Executive of The Smallpeice Trust, I am reaching out to you as a valued part of our community. As we all consciously move 2 metres apart, in true UK style, we are actually all pulling together to support each other, and the wider countries’ needs.

17th March 2020

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE 17th March

The Smallpeice Trust is closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and continue to act on advice from Public Health England (PHE) and the Department for Education. As you may know, the Government’s advice has now changed to restrict all non-essential contact and travel for everyone in the UK. We, along with our partners, take our duty of care extremely seriously and every decision is made with the best interests of your children in mind.

16th March 2020

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE 16th March

The health, safety and wellbeing of students and colleagues is the top priority for The Smallpeice Trust following the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

10th March 2020

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE

The health, safety and wellbeing of students and colleagues is the top priority for The Smallpeice Trust following the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

22nd August 2019

What do engineers do, that you didn’t know they did?

Did you know that some people still think engineers are all male, dressed in overalls and work on some sort of dirty engine?

22nd August 2019

One Smallpeice step for students, one giant leap for engineering

Do you ever sit and wish you could go back to school? Or just far enough back to change the course of your career?

31st July 2019

Arkwright Scholar Takes Giant Leap

–Alumnus Chris Bellamy and Wiivv to Donate to Scholarship– Arkwright Scholarships Trust alumnus and lead engineer at Wiivv Wearables Chris Bellamy is giving back to the programme that kick-started his engineering career.

31st July 2019

Female engineers lead the way at Warwick University

Discover what was on the agenda for almost one hundred 13-14 year-olds on the Girls into Engineering course at Warwick University – and what they made of it.

25th July 2019

Royal Holloway hosts budding young female engineers

Over 100 future female engineers aged 14-16 get inspired at three hands-on learning experiences at Royal Holloway, University of London.

24th July 2019

Birmingham City University host bright young Biomedical engineers

How our three-day Biomedical Engineering course, sponsored and hosted by Birmingham City University, enlightened 38 promising young engineers.

27th June 2019

Arkwright Scholars make it to Triumph Design Awards 2019 Grand Final

We reveal which of our Arkwright Scholars get to present their projects to senior design engineers in the grand finals of the Triumph Design Awards 2019.

27th June 2019

Arkwright Scholar soars on International Women in Engineering Day

Read how an Arkwright Engineering Scholar gets the chance to inspire and lead younger students in a new STEM club with a free powered glider Think Kit.

26th June 2019

BRIGHT SPARKS VISIT SULTAN FOR ENGINEERING MASTERCLASS

HMS Sultan’s PR Manager Matthew Hibberd explains how 50 students from across the UK benefitted from a Nuclear Marine Engineering masterclass

31st May 2019

Four marketeers got on a train…

Last week we had a lovely Marketing team day out to the lovely Docklands area of London, to attend the ‘Engaging Kids and Marketing to Parents’ Conference in the Museum of London. Over twenty top brands who know a thing or two about working with young people and how to convey marketing messages to parents and guardians alike.

31st May 2019

Amazing, Arkwright.

Exploring the prestigious Arkwright Engineering Scholarships Programme – from the application and selection process to benefits for students and partners.

29th May 2019

Smallpeice Trust students are Siemens Healthineers Next Big Thing!

More than 50 brilliant young minds took part in the Siemens Healthineers ‘Next Big Thing’ Challenge. Find out which school triumphed – and why.

15th May 2019

New partnership launched to drive uptake of STEM careers

Get the lowdown on STEM Accord – a new partnership created to inspire more young people, particularly girls, to study STEM subjects.

29th April 2019

Khadijah Ismail - BAE apprentice, and Arkwright Scholar

From plane-mad little girl to BAE apprentice, BBC News Education Reporter Judith Burns tells the inspirational story of Arkwright Scholar Khadijah Ismail.

29th April 2019

Easter STEM adventures!

From designing and building off-road models to testing rocket-powered vehicles, Clare gives an overview of the inspirational courses we held over Easter.

15th April 2019

Harper Adams host young engineers on a discovery of robotics

Find out what was in store for sixty 13-17 year-olds as they embarked on our three-day Mobile Robotic Engineering and Off-Road Vehicle Engineering courses.

25th March 2019

A day in the life

Get an insight into teamwork and problem-solving on our STEM Days as Clare joins Year 7 & 8 pupils at Trinity Catholic School in Leamington Spa.

23rd March 2019

Big Bang

The Big Bang Fair is the UK’s largest celebration of STEM for young people. Catch up on this year’s awesome and eye-opening highlights!

1st March 2019

Femme Fortes

An inspiring celebration of some of the amazing women, and their pioneering achievements, in the field of STEM – from 1200BCE to the present day.

25th February 2019

Innovation meets Education

An overview what’s new in education and technology at the BETT Show, and a look ahead to The Smallpeice Trust’s involvement at The Big Bang Fair.

6th February 2019

ROYAL HOLLOWAY UNIVERSITY CASE STUDY – THE SMALLPEICE TRUST

Shedding light on a three-day Astrophyisics residential course for Year 11 students, run jointly by Royal Holloway University and The Smallpeice Trust.

10th January 2019

NEW YEARS STEMOLUTION!

Word on the street is that we’ve officially launched our Think Kits! Now I’m sure you’ll have heard all about them but let me give you a bit more detail. The clue’s in the name really, it’s a kit…that requires a bit of thought to put together!

10th January 2019

Scholarships are go!

Discover the benefits of The Arkwright Engineering Scholarship – the most prestigious of its kind in the UK – and find out how to apply.

21st November 2018

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, not that time! Course launch time of course. The time of the year when we’re scurrying about trying to prepare as many courses as possible for you and your lovely students to enjoy.

21st November 2018

A WISE man once said…

Discover how our CEO Dr Kevin Stenson achieved recognition in the Wise Man of the Year Final at the prestigious WISE Awards – and what it means to him.

1st November 2018

Southern Water STEM Day

Southern Water chief executive Ian McAulay shares his wisdom with Year 9 pupils on a STEM Day in Worthing, and shares his views on the event with us.

20th October 2018

Celebrating Ada…

A couple of weeks ago (9th October to be exact) we celebrated Ada Lovelace Day, so it only feels right we should give a shout out to the fascinating character and infamous mathematician that is Ada. Ada Lovelace Day was founded in 2009 by Suw Charman-Anderson and was created to recognise the achievements of women in STEM and to raise the profile of females working in the areas.

20th October 2018

Finding STEM in October

As October hits, we consider the science behind traditional Halloween games, and the spectacle provided by fireworks on bonfire night.

20th September 2018

2018, in a nutshell!

2018, in a nutshell! What an awesome, amazing, adventurous and fantabulous year it’s been! It’s been busy, exciting, chaotic and crazy but we’ve done it and we’ve loved every second! We’ve had the pleasure of delivering 438 STEM days in schools and locations across the UK and have reached a staggering 28,054 students in doing so.

20th September 2018

WISE Man of the Year nomination!

It’s always nice to gain a little recognition for the things that you invest your time and effort in, and work so hard to do. It’s even more awesome when people external to your organisation recognise it too! Here at the Trust we are enjoying sharing our Chief Exec, Kevin Stenson’s latest achievement.

23rd August 2018

Something exciting is flying this way…

Summer may be almost over but that doesn’t mean it’s time to stop having fun. Quite the opposite, actually! New school year, new classes, new subjects and maybe even new schools and colleges. Whatever it is you’re beginning, enjoy!

23rd August 2018

The Summer of STEM

Now they do say a picture tells a thousand words, and if I was writing about all our courses it may take a lot more than that! So instead, here’s a handful of candid photos to show just a tiny snippet of some of the Smallpeice fun we’ve been stirring up this summer!