We run a range of courses throughout the year. Sign up to our newsletter via the ‘Keep Informed’ section at the bottom of this page to be updated when registrations open.

Whether online or in-person, all our courses are delivered by a combination of leading academics, our specialist Education Team and/or industry experts.

What you do depends on the course you attend; for example, our Engineering Experience courses are facilitator driven and you will work on extended design-and-make projects, with talks by real life engineers. Other courses are run by academics at various universities around the country: the academics design a course around their area of expertise, integrating research and new technologies into their lectures and projects. Each course includes both interactive sessions and practical activities.

On residential events we organise social activities in the evenings, such as film nights, quizzes or sports nights, as well as time to relax with your new friends after a busy day! All of the activities on our courses are designed to encourage teamwork, enhance problem solving and communication skills, and develop your soft skills, as well as develop your academic abilities.

As a charity we want our courses to be accessible to all, so we have a small number of fully funded places available on our paid courses. To qualify, students must meet one of the following criteria:

• Current home postcode sits in the lowest 20% of the Index of Multiple Deprivation, you can use the following links to check (or please contact us if you are unsure):
  • England - enter your postcode, IMD decile must be 1 or 2
  • Scotland - enter your postcode, SIMD area must be 1
  • Northern Ireland - enter your postcode, must be ranked 178 or below
  • Wales - enter your postcode, must be ranked 382 or below
• Member of a travelling family
• Living or raised in Local Authority care
• Young Carer
• Eligible for Free Schools Meals (we will require evidence of eligibility)

If you meet the above criteria, please contact our event administration team on info@smallpeicetrust.org.uk to provide evidence of eligibility and tell them which course you would like to apply for a funded place on.

We ask that you refer to the specific course page for details. However, we generally work to the rule that if you have just finished one school year but are yet to start another, the year you have just finished dictates the courses you can apply for. So, if you finished Year 10 in July and wanted to attend a course in August before starting Year 11, you could only join a Year 10 course.

This varies by course, so please refer to the specific course page for details. For virtual events, any specific kit required for a project will be posted to you at home. We will flag any other basic household items that may be needed as part of the joining instructions.

For those programmes that are running online, there are sometimes specific requirements about the specification of the computer you’re using. Access to a PC or laptop and a webcam are the standard requirements. Again, please see individual course pages for details.

For residential events, we will send you a suggested kit list of what to bring clothes wise, depending on the activities being undertaken, but all other project kit is provided for you.

Typically, we use student university accommodation, which usually takes the shape of a single room flat on campus, with a small lounge and kitchen area to socialise. We do occasionally use dormitory rooms if the accommodation is not within a university setting, so please check the individual course page for more information.

Every venue we use is selected with great care to ensure that it is a safe and pleasant place to be. There is 24/7 security, and you will be given information in your Welcome Packs and at the Welcome Address regarding emergency and fire procedures.

Directions and travel information will be sent nearer to the date of the course.

Please note, we are unable to provide accommodation on the evening before a course.

Meals are often buffets for breakfast and lunch, and a choice of options for dinner. We can cater for most diets (but please let us know when you book).

Our courses are all part-funded by the Trust and our partners. We do charge a fee to contribute towards the cost. Our online courses cost £95, while a three-day residential is £295 and a four-day residential is £345. There can be exceptions to this, so please check individual course pages for details.

Unless otherwise stated, your payment is required within two weeks of receiving our invoice. An offer may be withdrawn if no payment is received.

If you are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible. We have a limited number of places, and the cost of a course is based on it being full. Our cancellation terms are:

• Up to 2 months before the course start date - 50% refund of the course fee
• Less than 2 months before the course start date - no refund (We will make an exception if the student tests positive for COVID-19 and has to isolate when the course is due to run. We will require proof of a positive test before any refund can be issued)

In some circumstances, we can spread the cost of the course fee over an agreed timeframe. If immediate payment is an issue, you may be able to work out an agreed payment plan by contacting our event administration team on info@smallpeicetrust.org.uk.

For 2022, we are offering a mixture of residential, in-person and online courses. If you take part in our online versions, you will experience all the same key elements that exist in our popular residential course programme, including:

• Hands-on experiences (kit mailed in advance)
• Working in teams
• Meeting other young people with shared interests
• Learning live from leading academics
• Ask questions of industry experts
• Learn new skills
• Be inspired about your future
• Enhance your UCAS form and CV

For residential events, we will be adhering to government guidelines around COVID-19. We may request that students take a lateral flow test 24 hours before arrival and during the event. Venues may also request the use of face masks and we will have hand sanitiser available. As this is a changing situation, any requirements will be confirmed closer to the event.

Many of our safeguards are the same online as they are in-person and are described on our overarching Safety For All page, but there are some details that are specific to online programmes.

We also rely on parents, our staff and external programme trainers to help us always promote a safe and positive online learning environment.

Many of our courses are split 50/50 female and male, with some being 100% female. We actively welcome applications from transgender and non-binary students.

Most engineers are currently male, and one of the charity’s priorities is to increase the number of girls considering engineering as a career, which requires more active promotion and engagement. Engineers plays a crucial role in society, designing solutions to problems that impact all of our lives. Every person brings their own perspective and developing future engineers with diverse backgrounds will help us to build stronger, more creative and more innovative teams of engineers in the future.

Feel free to get in touch with us on 01926 333 200 or at info@smallpeicetrust.org.uk and we'll be happy to answer any of your questions.

Many of our courses are split 50/50 female and male, with some being 100% female. We actively welcome applications from transgender and non-binary students.

Most engineers are currently male, and one of the charity’s priorities is to increase the number of girls considering engineering as a career, which requires more active promotion and engagement. Engineers plays a crucial role in society, designing solutions to problems that impact all of our lives. Every person brings their own perspective and developing future engineers with diverse backgrounds will help us to build stronger, more creative and more innovative teams of engineers in the future.