STEM Futures
STEM Futures was an ambitious pilot initiative designed to transform STEM education in special schools by exploring curriculum approaches that are inclusive, engaging and relevant for disabled and neurodivergent young people. The project worked in partnership with nine schools across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to test and develop effective new ways of teaching STEM in specialist settings.
Our pilot schools
We worked with nine fantastic schools representing a rich diversity of student needs, educational stages and curriculum approaches:
What the programme involved
STEM Futures combined classroom delivery, co-design with educators and rigorous evaluation to build a strong foundation for inclusive STEM learning.
Across the programme, we:
embedded STEM Specialists within each school to support planning, delivery and professional development.
co-designed activities with teachers, school leaders and support staff to ensure relevance and sustainability.
delivered 33 bespoke, hands-on STEM sessions tailored to a wide range of learner needs.
engaged 812 young people directly in STEM activity.
developed and provided practical STEM kits to support continued in-school delivery.
built a cross-UK Community of Practice, connecting SEND schools to share ideas, resources and learning.
delivered a “Making STEM Accessible” teacher training course to 30 educators.
evaluated impact through surveys, observation, reflection logs and pupil voice.
sharing best practice and learning through Lightyear Foundation’s SEND in STEM Network and with the broader special education community.
This collaborative, evidence-informed model allowed us to identify what high-quality, accessible STEM education looks like across diverse specialist settings and how to make it sustainable.
Impact
The programme demonstrated significant positive outcomes for both pupils and educators.
Student impact
88% of pupils demonstrated improved STEM knowledge
93% showed increased interest in STEM subjects
92% increased awareness of STEM careers
62% indicated increased interest in STEM careers
Average pupil engagement rating: 4.4 out of 5
Teacher and school impact
21% overall increase in educator confidence delivering STEM (1–5 scale)
100% of schools reported implementing sustainable changes to their STEM curriculum
6 out of 9 schools increased the frequency of regular STEM delivery
Non-specialist staff reported feeling more confident planning and leading STEM sessions
In many participating schools, specialist STEM expertise had previously been limited to one individual or absent entirely. By embedding co-design and practical resources into everyday teaching, STEM Futures helped build wider staff ownership and capacity.
A lasting impact
Although STEM Futures began with a small group of pilot schools, its ambitions are broader. The insights, approaches and resources developed through this work will be shared widely to support other schools and educators across the UK.
Building on this pilot, in the long term, Lightyear Foundation hopes to develop a scalable, sustainable model for inclusive STEM education in special schools. This will include a digital resource hub, an online community platform for educators, and a growing library of co-designed, classroom-tested STEM activities, all informed by the learning, insight and experiences of the schools involved in STEM Futures.
Our goal is not just to enhance practice in the participating schools, but to lay the foundations for a nationwide shift in how STEM is delivered in special education; equipping educators with the tools, support and confidence to inspire the next generation of disabled and neurodivergent STEM thinkers and leaders.
With generous support from the Avantor Foundation and the commitment of our partner schools, we are setting out to build a better future for STEM education, one that is shaped by the needs, strengths and ambitions of disabled and neurodivergent young people.
If you would like to find out more about STEM Futures or explore how your school or organisation could get involved, please contact: info@lightyearfoundation.org
Resources
A number of resources are available from the STEM Future programme for you to download here.
