By Orna Herr, Communications Officer (Education) at the British Science Association

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We often hear from politicians, educators, campaigners and other voices about the importance of STEM, and sometimes about the need for more equitable opportunities, but how often do we hear directly from children about how they feel about their prospects and the changes they want to see?

Not often enough.

This is something ten-year-old Poppy, who lives in a rural part of Blackpool, is on a mission to change.

Poppy recently earned a Gold CREST Award (an exceptional achievement as Gold Awards are typically undertaken by students aged 16+) for her project ‘Future Science Careers’.

As part of her investigation, Poppy interviewed other pupils at her school Gateway Academy from Years 4-6 and Year 7 at Armfield Academy to hear about their thoughts on pursuing STEM, and reached out to science institutions – including one in Australia! – to ask how they’re reaching out to rural communities like hers.

Poppy’s work attracted the attention of her local MP, Chris Webb. She met with him to discuss her project findings, and find out how he could help make science more accessible to all young people, regardless of where they live.

Following that meeting, Poppy and her mum Natasha sat down with our Head of Education Maria Rossini, a fellow CREST Gold Awardee, to share more about what inspired her, what she learned, and her hopes for the future.  

“Remember these facts and then write about it”: a dry version of school science

Poppy told Maria that interviewing her peers revealed many children have decided by around the age of 10 that they don’t see themselves pursuing a career in science (this is also backed by academic research). She explained that this might be because science lessons can sometimes take the shape of rote learning, and this doesn’t spark excitement or stoke ambition.

[The children I spoke to] only see science for ‘remember these facts and then write about it’. That's personally what I get for most of my science lessons at school…

“That slowly breaks it down and gets rid of their love [for science].

Her teachers work tremendously hard to make science lessons as engaging as possible but more trips to science museums and other institutions can make a huge difference, Poppy said, as they can help show science “for all the fun it can be”.

However, as she knows only too well, these kinds of experiences are not equally accessible to all.

(Right, Poppy with her CREST Award certificates)

"Our area is a science desert"

Poppy told us that where she and her classmates live, in a rural part of Blackpool, they’re an hour and half away from their nearest science museum. For many, this might be an insurmountable barrier.

I'm lucky enough to have parents that bring me to the science museums, I have pretty good exposure, but I felt like maybe some families maybe couldn't afford that or maybe couldn't travel that far because it's still a really long way.

Interviewing fellow students showed that many would like a local science museum, which “just proves further that there's there is curiosity there”, but over half of Poppy’s classmates had never been to one.

I thought, well, that's probably because our area is a science desert and that probably negatively affects their view [of science].

“If we get more funding we can get more equipment, we can do more interactive lessons”

Poppy’s passion and firm belief in the importance of all young people having the chance to experience science outside a classroom setting inspired her to reach out to her local MP Chris Webb, to discuss the findings of her Gold CREST project. He gladly set up a meeting to hear more.

He listened to all my ideas and my opinions, and he ended up liking most of them.

Poppy understands that, with so many issues, funding can make a huge difference, and that improving STEM education can’t wait for secondary school, it needs to happen while children are forming their impressions of the world and their place in it. She told Webb:

Most people make their decision if they like science or not if they or if they want a career in science or not by the age of ten and, especially in rural communities, we just don't have very engaging science lessons. So maybe if we get more funding we can get more equipment, we can do more interactive lessons.

Webb asked Poppy to write a letter to the Prime Minister and create a video about the issues that can be shown to other MPs, which she gladly did. In the letter she shared the results of her research, and asked for more emphasis on science on the Key Stage Two curriculum.

Hannah Russell, the CEO of the British Science Association (BSA) said:

Poppy has hit on two key areas where we need to work harder –  making science education in schools more relevant to young people’s lives - including hands-on opportunities to do science themselves - and ensuring all young people can access science engagement opportunities locally, no matter where they live.

(Right, Poppy with Chris Webb MP)

She continued:

That’s why at the BSA we’re working to make science something young people across the country can engage with, through our CREST Awards and British Science Week as well as our support for schools in challenging circumstances, for UK science festivals and through our work with grassroot community groups.

There may be lots of other children like Poppy out there who love science, but don’t have the opportunities to engage with it outside the classroom. We might be missing out on innovative future scientists.

Poppy is on a mission to change this, but the responsibility doesn’t lie with children with big ambitions. It lies with politicians, policymakers, funders and others who can influence our education system and wider opportunities to engage with science locally.

Read part two of this blog here:

Tips from ten-year-old Poppy and her mum on doing CREST

Other blogs you might be interested in:

Underrepresentation and the next generation - a CREST Awards case study