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Graveney School

STEM @ Graveney

What is STEM and why is it important? 

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is acknowledged as essential for producing well-rounded school-leavers and a skilled, future-focused workforce. STEM has become a huge force in the UK and internationally, particularly at university level and in most schools.

In 2018, Roger Hargreaves brought his collection right up to date with Little Miss Inventor who is intelligent, ingenious and inventive.  She is as bright as a button and can invent the most extraordinary things to amuse and divert some of her less ambitious or well-behaved Mr and Miss Friends. At Graveney we want all of our students to think and behave like Little Miss Inventor!

What do we offer here at Graveney?

Our STEM program here encourages all our students to take STEM subjects at GCSE and A level; as a result uptake is well above national averages in most subjects.  Over half our sixth form (700 students) take at least two STEM subjects.

In addition to this we offer the following extra-curricular opportunities for students to get involved in:

Key Stage 5

  • Science Society – regular lectures from external speakers;
  • Medical Society – regular meetings and opportunities to meet with professionals;
  • Biology Genetic Research project with UCL;
  • Chemistry Ionic Liquids Project with the Royal Society of Chemistry/IRIS and UCL;
  • Physics Arduino Group.

Key Stage 4

  • Work experience at a range of STEM institutions (IT, Engineering, FinTech);
  • GCSE Astronomy Twilight class – we are particularly excited at using our new Oppenheimer Observatory which is under construction now.

Key Stage 3

  • Science Club
  • STEM Technology clubs
  • STEM days and trips
  • IT coding/robotic clubs
  • STEM skills programme in Year 9 which includes:
    o Robotics/Raspberry Pi
    o Colour Chemistry
    o Cryptography
    o 2D games coding
    o Rocket science/building
    o XR studio
    o Astronomy

Recent events and talks can be found here.

How can you get involved?

We often have external speakers and helpers, some also offer work experience/ internship opportunities for our students - if you think you can help then contact Mr Grant.

Recently Graveney parents have:

  • Given a talk or presentation on their work or career pathway;
  • Helped out at a club or society (once or more regularly);
  • Completed a project with a group of students;
  • Offered a week or two of work experience/internship for a Year 11 student next July;
  • Hosted a visit/school trip.

Meetings of the Science Society

 Introducing Graveney's Scientist in Residence

Professor Emma Morris  BA MA MB BChir PhD FRCP FRCPath

Professor Morris is Professor of Clinical Cell and Gene Therapy at the Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, University College London (UCL).

Her research group is interested in using genetic engineering to improve the function of immune cells and correct inherited defects in the immune system by modifying the genes present in stem cells. These gene-modified immune cells can then be used to treat cancer, infection or immune system disorders.

Emma’s group also run a number of Phase I ('first in human') clinical trials exploring the safety of these treatments in adult patients, where other treatments may have failed. These new approaches to cell therapy can be used in isolation or together with a stem cell (bone marrow) transplant procedure.

Emma trained in Clinical Medicine at the University of Cambridge before specialising in Haemato-oncology and allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. She is currently a Transplant Consultant at University College London Hospital NHS FT and the Royal Free London NHS FT.

She is director of the NIHR UCLH/UCL Biomedical Research Centre Inflammation, Immunity and Immunotherapeutics research programme and Co-Chair of the UCL Cell, Gene and Regenerative Medicine Therapeutic Innovation Network.

Emma spends half her time doing scientific research and the other half looking after patients with blood cancers and immune system disorders.

She has 3 children at Graveney School and has been supervising Biology research projects with Year 12 students for the last 3 years.