"You have left a lasting impression ... I will forever be grateful for the enthusiasm you have sparked in her for the sciences”.
A message from a parent that became the inspiration behind “Sparking STEM”.
The Sparking STEM approach to education
Children learn best when they are happy: As every child is different, their happiness may depend upon different things. One size can never fit all, so a flexible approach that offers children the freedom to access learning in whichever way suits them best, underpins everything we do. We keep groups small, communicate closely with parents and carers and enjoy the opportunities for learning and inspiration that every child brings.
Children learn best when they're engaged: Sparking STEM aims to bridge the gap between exam-based education and hands-on, activity-based, student-led learning. With a close eye on the National Curriculum, Sparking STEM offers inspirational and engaging activities outdoors, online and indoors, that are far broader than the curriculum but support students to build the skills, language and knowledge that exam-based assessment requires.
Children learn best when they have purpose: Using a carefully designed blend of challenges, mysteries and exciting demonstrations Sparking STEM inspires children to ask questions, solve problems and find answers for themselves. We facilitate their explorations and guide them towards application of scientific principles so that they develop confidence and problem-solving skills whilst discovering the true value of STEM.
Children learn best when they are happy: As every child is different, their happiness may depend upon different things. One size can never fit all, so a flexible approach that offers children the freedom to access learning in whichever way suits them best, underpins everything we do. We keep groups small, communicate closely with parents and carers and enjoy the opportunities for learning and inspiration that every child brings.
Children learn best when they're engaged: Sparking STEM aims to bridge the gap between exam-based education and hands-on, activity-based, student-led learning. With a close eye on the National Curriculum, Sparking STEM offers inspirational and engaging activities outdoors, online and indoors, that are far broader than the curriculum but support students to build the skills, language and knowledge that exam-based assessment requires.
Children learn best when they have purpose: Using a carefully designed blend of challenges, mysteries and exciting demonstrations Sparking STEM inspires children to ask questions, solve problems and find answers for themselves. We facilitate their explorations and guide them towards application of scientific principles so that they develop confidence and problem-solving skills whilst discovering the true value of STEM.
What we offer
Sparking STEM is based in Sheffield, England.
For home-educated students aged 4 to 15 Sparking STEM offers exciting Outdoor STEM sessions at Forge Dam and Rivelin Valley in Sheffield; weekly Online STEM sessions and Practical Support for iGCSE Science sessions during term time. You can also buy tried and tested science equipment at excellent prices to support your child's home learning in the Sparking STEM shop.
For both school and home-educated children, Sparking STEM offers occasional events and one off sessions at weekends and during school holidays as well as 1:1 science tuition.
School STEM workshops are also available to enrich and support the science curriculum at both primary and secondary level and Sparking STEM also supports Universities across the country with outreach consultancy and training workshops for PhD and postdoctoral researchers who wish to develop their confidence and skills to develop and deliver exciting outreach for school-age children.
Sparking STEM is based in Sheffield, England.
For home-educated students aged 4 to 15 Sparking STEM offers exciting Outdoor STEM sessions at Forge Dam and Rivelin Valley in Sheffield; weekly Online STEM sessions and Practical Support for iGCSE Science sessions during term time. You can also buy tried and tested science equipment at excellent prices to support your child's home learning in the Sparking STEM shop.
For both school and home-educated children, Sparking STEM offers occasional events and one off sessions at weekends and during school holidays as well as 1:1 science tuition.
School STEM workshops are also available to enrich and support the science curriculum at both primary and secondary level and Sparking STEM also supports Universities across the country with outreach consultancy and training workshops for PhD and postdoctoral researchers who wish to develop their confidence and skills to develop and deliver exciting outreach for school-age children.
Credentials
✅ Qualified Teacher Status (QTS: PGCE Science)
✅ Postgraduate Science qualification
✅ Over ten years' experience teaching at exam level
✅ Experience teaching AQA, Edexcel, IGCSE (Edexcel and Cambridge).
✅ Over ten years' experience teaching students with Special Educational Needs
✅Over ten years' experience working with the home-educating community.
✅ Enhanced DBS
✅ Safeguarding certified
✅ Paediatric first aid qualification (updated in line with COVID regulations August 2020).
✅ Comprehensive public liability insurance
✅ Qualified Teacher Status (QTS: PGCE Science)
✅ Postgraduate Science qualification
✅ Over ten years' experience teaching at exam level
✅ Experience teaching AQA, Edexcel, IGCSE (Edexcel and Cambridge).
✅ Over ten years' experience teaching students with Special Educational Needs
✅Over ten years' experience working with the home-educating community.
✅ Enhanced DBS
✅ Safeguarding certified
✅ Paediatric first aid qualification (updated in line with COVID regulations August 2020).
✅ Comprehensive public liability insurance
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Amanda Childs set up Sparking STEM in 2018 to bring together a love of teaching STEM to children of all ages, and enjoyment of the outdoors as an inspirational learning environment. Sparking STEM now sparks STEM enthusiasm outdoors, online, indoors, in schools and through university collaborations and training.
Amanda is a qualified teacher (QTS, PGCE science / Biology specialism) with postgraduate science qualification (MSc Applied Entomology) and a total of over ten years experience teaching science to secondary age students; engaging students in STEM subjects (ages 3 to 16); working closely with the home-educating community and with primary and secondary schools across Sheffield as well as collaborating with multiple departments in the University of Sheffield. Prior to this, Amanda worked in agrochemical research as a terrestrial ecotoxicologist specialising in earthworms, and in animal welfare research, where she trained teams of adult researchers across seven developing countries working to improve the lives and welfare of equines and their owners in some of the poorest parts of the world. |
Care for the environment
All our activities work in harmony with the environment, emphasising a “leave no more than your footprints” principle to the children and teaching them about environmental issues at every opportunity. We re-use and repurpose resources and avoid single use plastics wherever possible. We hygienically remove litter from the environment as we go.
All our activities work in harmony with the environment, emphasising a “leave no more than your footprints” principle to the children and teaching them about environmental issues at every opportunity. We re-use and repurpose resources and avoid single use plastics wherever possible. We hygienically remove litter from the environment as we go.
"Your kindness, enthusiasm and patience made a big difference.... It’s great to have found such a wonderful teacher"
Message from a parent in the Outdoor STEM 9-13s group.
