Quality standards updates

We’re excited to introduce a new Neon quality standard that encourages providers to include a follow-on activity for teachers to use a few weeks after the initial session.

This simple addition helps young people reflect on what they’ve learned, deepening their understanding and making your activity even more impactful.

We’re here to support you every step of the way—with guidance, templates, and a drop-in session to help you meet the standard.

The new standard:

"Support teachers in enabling young
people to reflect on the content of the
Neon experience they have taken part in
after the activity"

Download the need-to-know guide

A quality experience

We want STEM teachers and their students to enjoy the very best engineering experiences, so we only feature experiences that meet our quality criteria.

Need a refresher? The Neon quality standards are:

  • Include positive and contemporary messaging about engineering
  • Raise young peoples’ aspirations:
    • For primary: Broaden horizons, challenge career stereotypes, and put curriculum subjects into a real-life context
    • For secondary: Include an explicit careers dimension and align with at least 2 Gatsby benchmarks
  • Are designed and delivered so they are inclusive for students
  • Are committed to embedding learning and improvements
  • Clearly articulate expected learning outcomes
  • Are transparent on cost and time
  • Meet safeguarding, health and safety and data protection standards and have public liability insurance
  • Support teachers in enabling young people to reflect on the content of the Neon experience they have taken part in after the activity
Energy Quest Glasgow 2025 013 Small

Resources to support you

We’re here to help you implement this new standard - discover resources and support below:

Templates and resources: We’ve got templates for reflection activities that you can easily adapt and use. Check them out below:

Webinars and training: As a Neon provider, you will have access to drop-ins and training sessions to help you understand and implement the new standard effectively. We'll be in touch when these are available to attend 

Ongoing support: Our team is available to provide ongoing support and answer any questions you might have. Get in touch.

Primary 2

Further links

Discover further links to useful reflection resources to use in your activity below:

Discover further links to useful reflection resources to use in your activity below:

Meet the Future You Quiz

Share the link with teachers. Suggest they do this with their students, then students feedback on which of the ‘Jobs include’ most appeals to them and why.

Meet the Future You Quiz

 

Science Museum Group classroom resources 

Pick one of these resources that links to your activity and share it with the teacher. The resources have guides for teachers about how they could use. Providers can highlight the link to the activity

Science Museum resources

 

STEM Learning - STEM clubs resources 

Pick one of these resources that links to your activity and share it with the teacher. The resources have guides for teachers about how they could use. Providers can highlight the link to the activity. 

STEM Club activities

 

Royal Academy of Engineering – Engineering Habits of Mind Quiz 

Share the link with teachers. Suggest they do this with their students, then students feedback on the following:

  • What their strengths are 
  • If anything surprised them  
  • How they use those skills in everyday life 
  • What they could do to strengthen any skill 

Engineering Habits of Mind Quiz 

 

Free potential competitions to enter

Share these with teachers to explore as a next step with their students as an extra-curricular activity or whole day event:

The Big Bang Competition

IET Faraday STEM Challenge

Poster competition by British Science Week

ICE Cityzen pollution control teacher guide