STEM

Going beyond lessons

STEM—short for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics—is about more than just what's taught through our excellent curriculum, it’s a chance to go beyond the classroom, offering students opportunities for enhancement, engagement, and enrichment that ignite curiosity and foster lifelong learning.  While core subjects lay the foundational knowledge, STEM activities deepen understanding through hands-on experiences, problem-solving challenges, and real-world applications - helping people of all ages grow their curiosity and confidence in a fast-changing world.

At HATO, we provide students with a huge variety of learning opportunities that go beyond the curriculum, to enhances children’s experiences.  Below are a few ways we do this as a school.

STEM day

Our annual STEM Day is always a highlight of the year – where children are immersed in a STEM challenge, meet STEM ambassadors in person and work in teams to solve a variety of problems. Maths skills are stretched in KS2, when taking a quadrat sample and in budgeting for materials. Some challenges included building: bridges, tallest towers, oceans in a bottle and delivery mechanisms, as well as creating jewellery from recycled materials.

Other ways we continue to enhance the curriculum through STEM learning is:

Science

We feel very lucky that at Harris Academy Tottenham all children are able to study Science in Nature first hand. Lessons are held in the local area or in the academy grounds, where we have a wildlife pond. Children can apply what they have learnt in the classroom and see it in real life. The children are encouraged to explore and learn in a natural setting, fostering their confidence, social skills, and connection with nature.

  

Food Technology

We are incredibly lucky to have unlimited access to the secondary food technology lab. Allowing our primary pupils to explore cooking in a fully equipped, large-scale kitchen. This experience enriches their learning by developing practical skills, deepening their understanding of food hygiene, nutrition and preparation techniques. Working in a professional environment fosters confidence, creativity and teamwork, laying strong foundations for future food technology education.

Engineering in EYFS

Pupils have access to a wide range of construction resources, encouraging them to freely build, create, and explore. The tinker shed enables them to experiment with real tools and materials, promoting problem-solving and creativity. These hands-on experiences lay strong foundations for STEM learning through early engineering, design, and critical thinking skills.

Mathematics

At HATO, Maths is recognised as a fundamental life skill that underpins many aspects of everyday life. To enrich pupils’ maths experience beyond maths lessons, pupils can engage in a variety of exciting opportunities such as the WonderMaths competition, Maths enrichment clubs, Outdoor Classroom Day, and Mental Maths competitions. All these activities aim to inspire a love of Maths and encourage pupils to apply their skills in fun and meaningful ways.

Further STEM enrichment

STEM club gave students an opportunity to explore real-world issues and this time the focus was the global challenge of climate change. Working in small groups, the students researched the causes and problems associated with climate change, developing a deeper understanding of topic. They then used their writing skills to script their own informative videos to raise awareness of the issue. Bringing their research to life, by using technology skills, to record, edit, and produce short videos.