The Monmouthshire County Council’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Programme aims to develop inspirational STEM learning, increase pathways at Post 16 and investigate the feasibility of an apprenticeship centre in Monmouthshire.
Our learners journey
Some of the agreed outcomes of the programme are:
- More learners choose to take STEM subjects in KS4 and KS5
- The range of STEM qualifications and pathways available to KS4 and KS5 learners increases
- Learners are aware of STEM employment and training opportunities and are enabled to follow their chosen pathway and career
- STEM businesses are able to recruit highly motivated and skilled employees enabling them to locate and expand in Monmouthshire.
Through engagement with Welsh Government, Mon CC Cabinet Members, EAS, Coleg Gwent, local businesses and headteachers (primary and secondary), a comprehensive programme of resources, training and support is being developed. Resources for each school will include a range of coding, robotics, engineering and 3D printing equipment, and will be complemented by a programme of school-to-school networks, class workshops and business engagement to help fully embed STEM in the school Curriculum.
Latest updates
The programme is now moving at pace, with resources rolling out to schools during the summer term 2025 and training and support is in place for the start of the next academic year. The potential of this project is exciting, and it is hoped it will impact on the learning and employment opportunities of all our young people.
Media Release – MCC launches STEM Programme
If you are a local STEM business who would like to be involved in any of our school STEM projects, please get in touch with the Business Monmouthshire team: EconomicDevelopment@Monmouthshire.gov.uk
Business Monmouthshire – Monmouthshire >
Local Projects
First LEGO League Challenge Competition
FIRST® LEGO® League introduces science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) to children ages 4-16 through fun, exciting hands-on learning. Participants gain real-world problem-solving experience through a guided, global robotics program, helping today’s students and teachers build a better future together. Each season there is a new theme based on current and real-world contexts.
Friendly competition is at the heart of Challenge, as teams of students ages 9-16 engage in research, problem-solving, coding, and engineering – building and programming a LEGO robot that navigates the missions of a robot game. Using these resources Caldicot Secondary School won regional and national awards participating in the competition.
Greenpower Cars
Greenpower Education Trust is a UK based charity which gets young people enthusiastic about science and engineering by challenging them to design, build and race an electric car.
They supply age-appropriate Kit Cars, which can be built in school, college or elsewhere and raced at motorsport venues at Greenpower organised events.
Alternatively, older participants can design and build their own car to our regulations. The Greenpower challenge uses the excitement of motorsport to inspire young people to excel in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). There are two cars: Goblin G2 – for learners aged 9 to 11 years and F24 – for learners aged 12+
Goytre Fawr Primary School created a Goblin G2 car named the ‘The Cheddar Chariot,’ which they recently raced at a Goblin event, where they won two of their three challenges. They designed the body work to look like a wedge of cheese and used 3D printing technology to produce prototypes.
King Henry VIII 3-19 School Plastics Lab
King Henry VIII 3-19 School shared how their ‘Plastics Lab’ was created and developed to make use of recycled plastic to produce and sell items such as keyrings, Christmas decorations and combs. They began in 2023 with a simple panini press. They used this to re-cycle and melt down waste plastics and make simple items.
They went on to advertise their ideas, secure funding and sell their items at local markets such as the Abergavenny Market. The funding allowed them to purchase more advanced equipment, including an injection moulder and a plastic shredder. They will be attending the Abergavenny Greener Fayre and Abergavenny Christmas Fayre, as well as holding their own shop and market in the school. They also hope to sell their goods at Little Green Refills in Abergavenny.
Chris Fall, Design Team Lead for Peter Jones ILG in Abergavenny, were impressed by their project. Peter Jones ILG use injection moulding withing their manufacturing business and are keen to develop links with the school in order to further support the project.
MCC’s STEM Programme is supported by Welsh Government funding with the aim of bringing new businesses into Monmouthshire and improving links between businesses and schools.