Scotland has a long tradition of expertise, innovation, and achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and it is an integral part of our future economic and social development.

In 2017, the Scottish Government published the STEM education and training strategy for Scotland. This strategy outlines a vision of Scotland as a nation with a highly educated and skilled population, equipped with the skills, knowledge and capability to adapt and thrive in a fast-paced and changing world.

Visit the STEM Nation online resource for further information about the professional learning support and resources available.

Professional learning

Early learning and childcare practitioners module 7 is an online module developed with the University of the West of Scotland. It provides all staff with resources and activities to help young learners to develop STEM in ELC.

The Scottish Schools Education Research Centre (SSERC) offers Professional Learning in support of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

The Skills Development Scotland YouTube channel offers skills, apprenticeship and careers videos.

Resources

• STEM self-evaluation and improvement framework
• Benchmarks exemplification
• CfE Briefing 15: Sciences for all
• Sciences 3-18 curriculum review (impact report)
• A summary of Developing the Young Workforce resources
• Tackling gender balance and other inequalities in STEM

Remote learning resources

• National e-Learning Offer
• STEM resources Wakelet

All STEM

• STEM in a nutshell from the National Parent Forum Scotland
• Linking literacy and STEM: stimulating group discussion skills
• Community resilience and STEM: linking with Learning for Sustainability
• Food education and STEM
• Food science videos – explore the real-life application of STEM in industry
• Scotland’s Scientists (Gaelic language resource)
• Scotland’s Scientists (Scots language resource)
• Great Scots – explore Scotland’s rich STEM traditions

The Young STEM Leader Programme (YSLP) - aims to inspire more young people to develop an interest in STEM and pursue the study of STEM subjects and relevant future pathways.

Sciences

• Where to find support for...Sciences (PDF)
• Science Planning Resource: a comprehensive resource to support planning of sciences from early to second level
• Highland Primary Sciences Framework: detailed lesson plans and associated resources for early to second level (GLOW login required)
• Sciences Wakelet
• Sciences Glow Community Resources (GLOW login required)
• Sciences 3-18: Good practice examples
• Citizen Science and STEM

Technologies

• Technologies Wakelet
• National Technologies Community (GLOW login required)
• Computing science: gender balance lesson plans across the BGE

Engineering

• Learning pathways: Senior Phase design
• Playtime revolution: using the outdoors to supporting learning & development
• This is Engineering (Flickr page)
• Neon Futures
• Engineering Sway from Harrysmuir Primary

Mathematics

A Summary of Resources to Support Learning, Teaching and Assessment within Numeracy and Mathematics
National Numeracy and Mathematics Professional Learning Community (GLOW login required)

Family learning

• Supporting science, technologies, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at home
• STEM Family Learning at Larbert High School, Falkirk

Case studies and exemplars

Early Learning and Childcare

• STEM practice at Sunflower Family Nurture Centre, Lochgelly, Fife
• Science across the school: Early level: Strathallan Primary School, Fife

Primary

• Science across the curriculum: Milngavie Primary School, East Dunbartonshire
• Tracking, monitoring and reporting in the primary sector: West Lothian Council
• Outdoor Learning and STEM: Middleton Park Primary School, Aberdeen City
• From Places to Pedagogy: Robert Gordon’s College, Aberdeen City

Secondary

• STEM practice at St Andrew’s Secondary School, Glasgow
• Skills development through STEM: Dalziel High School, North Lanarkshire
• Raising achievement for all through STEM: Calderglen High School, South Lanarkshire
• STEM and DYW across the curriculum: a partnership approach at Ardrossan Academy, North Ayrshire
• A whole-school approach to career education: Woodfarm High School, East Renfrewshire
• ‘Workout’: positive destinations in South Ayrshire

Community learning and development

• Work placement opportunities across Dumfries and Galloway Council
• Family learning in STEM – Glasgow Clyde College

Reporting

Strategy for education and training annual reports

• 2022 STEM Strategy for Education and training: Fourth Annual Report (gov.scot)
• 2021 STEM Strategy for Education and Training: Third Annual Report (gov.scot)
• 2020 STEM Strategy for Education and Training: Second Annual Report (gov.scot)
• 2019 STEM Strategy for Education and Training: First Annual Report (gov.scot)

Performance indicator tables

• 2022 summary of performance indicator tables (gov.scot)
• 2020 summary of performance Indicator tables (gov.scot)
• 2019 summary of performance indicator tables (gov.scot)

Enhancing Professional Learning in STEM Grants Programme

Education Scotland and Scottish Government have awarded £4.6 million of STEM Grant funding to over 300 projects since 2018/19. This has benefitted around 70,000 practitioners.

• Interactive Overview of Round 3 STEM grants 2020/2021 (Excel 150 KB)
• Interactive overview of Round 2 STEM grants 2019/2020 (Excel 155 KB)
• Overview of Round 1 STEM grants 2018/19 (PDF 537 KB)
• Evaluation of STEM Grants Programme (Round 1): Executive summary (May 2020)(PDF 240 KB)
• Evaluation of STEM Grants Programme (Round 1): Final report (May 2020)(PDF 1.4 MB)
• STEM Grants Programme: Case studies (Sept 2020)(PDF 2.8 MB)
• STEM evaluation (Year 2): Final report (Sept 2021) (PDF 3 MB)
• Case studies from the STEM Grants Programme (Year 2) (PDF 2.1 MB)
• Overview of Round 4 STEM grants 2022/2023 (Excel 174 KB)
• Evaluation of the STEM Grants Programme Rounds One to Three (Year 3) (PDF 1.2 MB)

National STEM Data

STEM Strategy Evidence Base (October 2017)
STEM Professional Learning Survey 2016/17 Findings
STEM Professional Learning Survey 2016/17 Findings PowerPoint
STEM Professional Learning Survey 2017/18 Findings (ELC, Primary, ASN and Secondary)
STEM Professional Learning Survey 2017/18 Findings (CLD)
STEM Professional Learning Annual Data Gathering 2017/18
STEM Professional Learning Survey 2018/19 Findings (ELC, Primary, ASN and Secondary)
STEM Professional Learning Survey 2018/19 Findings (School Technical Staff)
STEM Professional Learning Survey 2018/19 Findings (CLD)
STEM Professional Learning Annual Data Gathering 2018/19
STEM Professional Learning Annual Data Gathering 2019/20
STEM Professional Learning Survey 2020/21 Findings (ELC Primary ASN and Secondary)
STEM Professional Learning Survey 2020/21 Findings (School Technical Staff)
STEM Professional Learning Survey 2020/21 Findings (CLD)
The Structural Barriers to STEM Engagement - Executive Summary for Education Scotland (November 2022)
The Structural Barriers to STEM Engagement - Final Report for Education Scotland (November 2022)
STEM Professional Learning Survey 2022/23 Findings (CLD)
STEM Professional Learning Survey 2022/23 Findings (School Technical Staff)
STEM Professional Learning Survey 2022/23 Findings (ELC/Primary/ASN/Secondary)
Factors in Successful STEM Engagement Report (PDF 958 KB)

Who can help?

There is a wide range of organisation and partners that can provide support for STEM activities in early learning and childcare settings and schools. These include:

• Parents who have STEM careers or who use STEM skills within their workplace
• Local authority STEM-related support officers and regional STEM Advisors (being recruited from 2018-19)
• RAiSE and Digital Skills Development Officers or Mathematics and Numeracy Hub Champions in your authority
• Employers including local and national employers
• Regional colleges, universities and higher education institutes
• Developing Young Workforce Regional Groups – established to develop links between schools and employers
• STEM hubs – to be established in 2018/19 onwards to support links between schools, employers, colleges, universities and DYW Regional Groups
• Community learning and development organisations

We are signatories to the Tomorrow's Engineers Code of Practice.