As we round up the Autumn Term, CHS has seen a wave of Girls in STEM activity, with pupils taking part in national competitions, meeting industry specialists and shaping new initiatives designed to prepare young people for the future world of work.
Pupils from Year 8 Science Club and girls on the Academic High Performance Programme took part in the CyberFirst Girls Competition, run by the National Cyber Security Centre. The challenge involved problem-solving activities in coding, logic, cryptography and digital security, with teams joining thousands of girls nationwide exploring careers in cyber. Our three teams tackled the challenges over ten days and whilst we are still awaiting the national results, they gained over 15,000 points collectively.
This term also saw the appointment of a new group of Girls in STEM Ambassadors, representing year groups across the Senior School. Their role is to offer insight and feedback on STEM opportunities, contribute ideas for future activities and support younger pupils in exploring the many pathways available. The team is looking forward to shaping priorities for the year ahead.
One of our F1 in Schools teams, CH Sonic, welcomed Jenny Fletcher, Programme Manager for Girls on Track UK at Motorsport UK. Jenny shared her route into motorsport and the range of engineering and technical roles within the sector, prompting discussion about how physics, design and engineering connect with careers in elite sport.
We have also been engaging with Old Waconians working in a wide range of STEM industries, who are helping to identify external opportunities and organisations to strengthen the programme. Several will be joining pupils as part of the Let’s Chat: Careers in Tech panel early next term, offering insights into their fields and raising awareness of the impact of AI on future careers and the skills needed in fast-growing sectors.
Looking forward to the Spring Term, the school is also preparing a programme of events for International Day of Women and Girls in Science in February, including workshops and talks highlighting the breadth of STEM careers and the contribution of women across the sector.
Although progress is being made, women continue to be underrepresented in STEM, making up only around a quarter of the UK STEM workforce. Research also shows that many girls start to move away from STEM subjects during early secondary school.
Ensuring CHS pupils have early exposure to STEM pathways and the confidence to pursue them is an important focus across our co-educational community.
