Welcome and introduction

Iona McLeod is a secondary science teacher currently working at Wales High School in Rotherham, where she started teaching in 2020 following an undergraduate degree in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Bristol. Since starting her career she has worked extensively to promote STEM subjects through establishing extra-curricular groups such as ‘Future Medics’ and running Women in STEM events to help close the gender engagement gap in KS3 students. 

She has been Head of Chemistry since 2022. In this capacity, she has sought to incorporate more careers links within lessons – something assisted by her work with the Enthuse Partnership. By working in a partnership from 2021-2023, she helped to establish links with local industries and worked with a range of students to produce and trial resources designed to encourage STEM engagement in the classroom.

Objectives

• Session 1: Look at the benefits of having an inclusive, diverse STEM curriculum and see how we can improve engagement and attainment through improving our approach to diversity
• Session 2: Learn about the historical and current obstacles for women in STEM and think how we can encourage greater uptake of STEM post-16 for female students
• Session 3: Work to identify ways we can decolonise our curriculum

Outline

Session 1 – Promoting Inclusivity in your STEM Curriculum – Introduction to Inclusivity [120 mins]

In this session we will:

• Introduce the idea of inclusivity, look at the benefits of having an inclusive and diverse STEM curriculum, and consider the vast impact of science capital
• Self-audit your department’s current approach to inclusivity and diversity
• Consider historical and current obstacles for marginalised groups in STEM

Session 2 – Promoting Inclusivity in your STEM Curriculum – Women in STEM [90 mins]

In this session we will:

• Look at the historical and current obstacles that have led to women becoming a marginalised group in various STEM fields
• Suggest several strategies to promote engagement for female students in STEM subjects
• Learn about female role models (historical and modern), whose incorporation into our schemes of work can improve representation

Session 3 – Promoting Inclusivity in your STEM Curriculum – Decolonising the Curriculum [90 mins]

In this session we will:

• Look at the importance of acknowledging and addressing the impact of colonialism on our modern curricula
• Give practical support to help you in redressing imbalances to improve representation and give credit to the work of scientists that has been omitted from our curriculum
• Hear from Fred Oxby (Head of History, and Anti Racist School Award Coach) on how to instil a school culture of inclusion and promote a whole-school approach to decolonisation