Inspiring futures

About education & engagement

Our education and engagement programmes are funded through our charitable business model.

Delivered through Science Oxford, these programmes are designed to spark curiosity, cultivate a lifelong love of science, lay the foundations of science learning and build science capital. We want to show young people that science is enjoyable and rewarding, opening the door to exciting STEM careers and empowering them to pioneer innovative solutions to real-word challenges. To do this, we provide inclusive and interactive STEM activities and experiences for primary pupils and secondary students, as well as families with young children, and community groups. We are also a regional expert in primary science education, providing a wealth of professional development opportunities for teachers.

There is a pressing need in our region to bridge the gap in science learning and opportunity, particularly from under-represented communities. By providing accessible and engaging STEM education activities, we strive to ensure all young people in our region, regardless of background, have the opportunity to thrive in an increasingly science-driven world.

Our Science Oxford programmes

Our Science Oxford programmes are designed to increase knowledge, skills and aspirations. We work across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire with multiple audiences – primary pupils and secondary students, teachers, families, and community groups. Our activities are run from the Science Oxford Centre in Headington as well as out in the community.

Science Oxford Centre

Our Science Oxford Centre is the UK’s first indoor-outdoor science education centre. It offers a hands-on experience of exciting science exploration and discovery for early years and primary-aged children, their teachers, families, and local communities.

Primary School Programme

Our primary school programme supports STEM teaching and learning for primary schools across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, with school visits to our Science Oxford Centre, and STEM-focused shows and workshops presented in schools.

Family Programme

We run a vibrant programme of events, including Family Days and STEM Clubs at the Science Oxford Centre, as well as events in partnership with communities across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Community engagement

We are dedicated to engaging local community groups in STEM learning and run a programme of bespoke activity days at the Science Oxford Centre and in communities. In addition, during the winter we run Starry Night events and during the summer we tour Oxfordshire libraries. STEM Clubs are delivered throughout the year.

STEM Careers Programme

We are actively reimagining our approach to inspiring and empowering the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators. Watch this space for a fresh and impactful programme that aligns with the evolving landscape of STEM education and careers.

Teacher professional development

The Science Oxford team are regional experts in STEM-focused professional development for primary teachers. We offer a range of training opportunities, online and face-to-face, for teachers to learn about the latest best practice and effective techniques for teaching science in the classroom. All courses are based on the Thinking, Doing, Talking Science approach.

What people say about us

A young girl looks into a tube
It was one of the best family days we’ve had. The children were totally absorbed with so much to explore and to learn. The highlight was meeting a real scientist at the Live Lab and getting to ask questions.

Visitor, Family Day

Family Day visits to the Science Oxford Centre

A woman seated at a table uses a plastic bag and string to build something.
As the science lead, I have attended a lot of CPD at Science Oxford over the last two years, which has been invaluable to our school. Science has gone from being undervalued to high on the school agenda. The children now often say it’s their favourite subject.

Teacher, Orchard Fields Primary

Continuing professional development

Two secondary school-aged girls are seated at a table and talking, writing something down on paper
I felt that all parts of the STEM Insight Week were incredible and useful, and not only did I find them invaluable in improving my skills, knowledge and awareness of all areas covered but I found them enjoyable too.

Secondary school student, STEM Insight Week

STEM Careers Programme for secondary schools

A group of children and a teacher pose for camera and lift their arms and cheer in front of a building with Science Oxford Centre logo behind.
The child-led investigations are great at engaging children in science. It is always interesting to see what ideas they come up with. The event has really helped raise the prominence of science at school.

Teacher, Standlake CofE Primary School

Big Science Event

A group of primary school children look at the illuminated celling as part of a planetarium show.
The children took off into space to explore the solar system from the comfort of school. They heard stories of the stars, visited planets and even saw the International Space Station. After plenty of questions and discussion, they made a safe landing back on earth. All thanks to Science Oxford. A brilliant day!

Teacher, Tackley CofE Primary School

Workshops and shows in primary schools

A girl, smiling, leans over a table blowing air up from below. Her long hair blows in the wind.
Visiting the Science Oxford Centre for all year groups has been a fantastic boost to our children – they enjoy the trips, it gets them excited by science and they get to explore science in a fun, interactive way.

Teacher, Bayards Hill Primary School

Primary school visits to the Science Oxford Centre

A girl looks through a magnifying glass into tubs of water containing pond creatures
I've really got to admire how informative and engaging the day was. I am not usually interested in science at all, and I was hooked the whole day.

Young Person

Community Day

A group of teenagers standing in front of and inside a sculpture in the shape of an ohm
I felt that all parts of the experience were incredible and useful, and not only did I find them invaluable in improving my skills, knowledge and awareness in all areas that I covered, but I found them enjoyable too.

Year 12 student

STEM Summer Experience

A woman and boy seated at a table are looking at an object on a paper plate and talking
Visits for all year groups to the Science Oxford Centre have been a fantastic boost to our children...it gets them excited by science and they get to explore science in fun, interactive ways.

Teacher

Bayards Hill Primary School

Olie Bosley, Optellum at Oxford Centre for Innovation in May 2025.
The Oxford Centre for Innovation, right in the heart of Oxford, means we are close to local amenities and the offices and facilities on site are really excellent. There are lots of open areas and meeting spaces so it’s good for meeting other innovative companies too.

Olie Bosley

Head of IT & Cybersecurity, Optellum

Partnerships

Our impact

Our impact figures for our education and engagement programmes are for the academic year from September 2023 to August 2024. For more information, read our Annual Review for 2024.

20k

Young people reached through our primary school programme

1.1k

Pupils reached through our secondary school programme

12k

People reached through our public engagement programme

Read our Annual Review
A group of primary school children look at the illuminated celling as part of a planetarium show.
A man talks to a group of school children at a science exhibit, all are smiling.
A primary school boy inspects a net for creatures during a pond dipping activity
A boy wearing protective glasses and large blue laboratory gloves holds up his hands spread out next to his faces and smiles for the camera.
A girl peers through a ball-and-stick model of an atom
Three primary school children in front of building with Science Oxford Centre logo, showing their science poster with title Fascinating Friction.
A boy with hands on his head gasps as a paper cone flies up in the air from below
A man and a group of young children peer into green grass on the ground
Two primary school children holding up purple modelling clay in small plastic bag and smiling for the camera
Woman is standing and holding a scientific pipette, demonstrating an activity, while adults and children watch
A boy gasps as a paper lifts from wind from an air table below. Another boy reads the sign in the background.
Group of adults and children staring up at sky and pointing, standing around a telescope at night
A primary school girl in school uniform focuses on wires at a work bench of a science exhibit. Another girl looks on.
A girl, smiling, leans over a table blowing air up from below. Her long hair blows in the wind.

Accessing Science Fund

The Accessing Science Fund aims to give children and young people in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire who experience barriers to STEM engagement the opportunity to access science learning through our well-established and proven Science Oxford programmes. 

Find out more

Explore. Discover. Play.

To find out more and book the wide range of activities we run for primary and secondary schools and public events for families, including our Family Days and STEM Clubs at the Science Oxford Centre, visit Science Oxford.

Visit the Science Oxford website

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