Operation Spitfire 4 Schools programme

A package of in-school lessons with accompanying STEM kit, expert visits, museum tour and workshop, plus an extra-curricular project designed to inspire Stoke and Staffordshire's future engineers with their local history of engineering prowess.

Secondary

Ages 11 to 14
Offsite
- The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent
- The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent
Multi-session
Cost applies

Run by Operation Spitfire 4 Schools.

Enquire with provider

Operation Spitfire 4 Schools is a new Secondary curriculum which aims to inspire Stoke and Staffordshire's future engineers, scientists and designers. Enhance your students’ STEM knowledge & skills and instil civic pride through an engaging, place-based and relevant curriculum.

The package includes:

12-month access to a digital portal with everything needed to deliver the curriculum: 9 lessons (9 hours) including lesson plans, teacher notes, accompanying slide deck and worksheets
an educational visit to The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent, including access to the Spitfire Heroes and Flight School Workshop
a visit from a Spitfire Expert to your school for a Q&A
an extra-curricular STEM project called ‘Why do Engineers have to be excellent at failing?’ where the objective is to create a solar-powered propeller car. All kit is provided.

In the pilot evaluation over 70% of secondary pupils showed increased interest in STEM. “I used to think I hate science but now I think I love science because you can learn so much from it.”

Ready to take flight? The team behind the programme would love to discuss how Operation Spitfire could work in your setting.

Cost: £19 per student

Minimum group size: 25 students

Learning outcomes

Improve engagement, interest or enjoyment in STEM subjects
Improve attainment and progress in STEM subjects
Learning what the engineering workplace is like
Develop engineering employability skills
Improve awareness and aspirations for STEM-related study and careers
Challenge stereotypes by showing the diversity of disciplines, people and skills involved in engineering

Subjects and topics

- Chemistry
- Computing
- Design and Technology
- Engineering
- Maths
- Physics
- Electronics, robotics and programming
- Energy and environment
- General engineering
- Humanitarian aid
- Materials, products and manufacturing
- Mechanical engineering, systems and processes
- Space and aerospace engineering
- Transport

Gatsby benchmarks

The Gatsby benchmarks are a framework for good careers guidance for schools across all of England and in some areas across the rest of the UK. This experience helps your school to reach the following benchmarks:

Learning from career and labour market information
Linking curriculum learning to careers
Encounters with employers and employees
Encounters with further and higher education

Essential skills

The essential skills every young person needs to succeed in education and their future career. Find out more at the Skills Builder Partnership. This experience builds the following skills: