Cornwall Schools Get a Boost: How TECgirls Is Helping Unlock £3,000 STEM Grants

Cornwall’s schools are being urged to take advantage of a national grant scheme that could help them strengthen STEM learning at a time when budgets, staff shortages and ageing equipment are putting real pressure on classrooms.

Curriculum Changes Highlight Local Challenges

The Department for Education’s new curriculum recommendations have sparked fresh discussions across the country about the future of STEM education. While many teachers welcome the renewed focus on practical science, computing and engineering, schools in Cornwall are questioning how they can deliver it when resources are already stretched.

Across the county, some computing, science and DT courses have been cut due to a lack of specialist teachers. Schools are also facing shortages of skilled technicians, and colleges have reported students sharing laptops to complete digital based degrees in computing and games development. Teachers may be keen to embrace the new curriculum, but many lack the time, training and tools to do so. Without extra investment in salaries, CPD and equipment, schools are worried the gap between policy ambition and classroom reality will continue to widen.

TECgirls Steps In To Support Cornwall’s Classrooms

Cornwall-based non-profit TECgirls, part of TECwomen CIC, has been working to change that. Founder Caitlin Gould was invited last week to speak at the Royal Society Practical Science conference about the challenges facing schools in rural and coastal areas. Caitlin said:
“It was great to have such a large platform to discuss the challenges we’ve seen in reaching children and especially young girls across the far South West. Schools we work with on our education programmes report real challenges in delivering high quality STEM education.”

For the past three years, TECgirls has partnered with schools across Cornwall to make STEM more accessible and hands-on. Its Mentor Clubs offer ready-to-run STEM sessions for primary schools, supporting both pupils and teacher development. The Pioneer Challenge Days for Key Stage 3 give girls the chance to meet real industry role models while linking to the Gatsby Benchmarks for careers education.

Recently, the group hosted an Aviation and Aerospace Work Experience Week that placed girls aged 16 to 18 from Cornwall into real workshops and design labs. Participants worked on projects including the restoration of a Spitfire aircraft.

Through this work, TECgirls has seen first hand that Cornwall’s teachers are enthusiastic about delivering practical STEM learning but need sustained support, clear guidance and reliable funding.

Helping Schools Access £3,000 Grants

To help bridge that gap, TECgirls has teamed up with The Royal Society to raise awareness of the Partnership Grant Scheme, which offers up to £3,000 for schools across Cornwall and Devon. The funding supports pupils aged 5 to 18 and allows schools and colleges to collaborate directly with STEM professionals on hands-on research in areas such as climate science, biodiversity, materials and manufacturing.

The grants can be used for equipment, practical experiments and bringing real-world science into the classroom. TECgirls is helping rural schools understand the opportunity and supporting teachers with applications.

TECgirls will host a free webinar on Monday 17th November to guide teachers through the application process, explain how the funding can be used and help them connect with local STEM experts.

Supporting Cornwall’s Teachers Today

National investment may take time to reach classrooms, but TECgirls says support is already available. By offering access to resources, training and local industry connections, the organisation aims to help Cornwall’s teachers bring the new curriculum to life right away.