STEM School

An introduction to working with data for non-specialists: reading tables and charts, cleaning and summarising data in a spreadsheet, and building clear visualisations that support decisions.

An introductory look at how machine learning models are built: data preparation, training and testing, simple algorithms and how to judge whether a model is any good.

How to evaluate a technology before adopting it: fitness for purpose, cost, risk, ethics and social impact, with case studies from education, health and public services.

A six-week introduction to artificial intelligence: what AI is and is not, search and reasoning, machine learning basics, current applications and the ethical questions they raise.

A first course in building web pages with HTML and CSS: structure, styling, layout and publishing a simple site, for complete beginners.

The principles of observing the Earth from satellites and drones: sensors, image types, processing and interpretation, with practical exercises using freely available imagery.

Introduces the basic theories and concepts of GIS and the application of remote sensing and GIS in solving research problems: map scale, projections, attribute tables, georeferencing, digitising, geoprocessing and raster data, with free data sources and field data collection.

An introduction to the science that underpins our knowledge of the climate system. The course covers the energy balance between incoming solar and outgoing infrared radiation, how greenhouse gases affect it, the physical processes that shape climate, the evidence for past and present change, and consequences from sea level rise to heat waves.

A 27-hour hands-on QGIS course over three weeks: importing shapefiles and CSV data, projections, digitising, attribute editing and queries, georeferencing, joining population data, map printing, plugins and geoprocessing tools.

A fourteen-week course on building software the agile way: user stories, sprints, stand-ups, version control, testing and delivering working increments as a team.

The fundamentals of staying safe online and protecting systems: passwords and two-factor authentication, phishing, secure communication, device security, data storage and what to do when things go wrong.

The principles of designing for the web: layout, typography, colour, responsive design and usability, with practical projects that turn a design into working HTML and CSS.

Builds digital literacy fundamentals for teachers and raises their technology competence. Learners explore tools and innovative teaching methods for using ICT in the classroom and online.

A training-of-trainers course for those who will teach computer science and digital skills: curriculum design, hands-on teaching methods, assessment and running practical sessions.

A twelve-week introduction to programming in Python: variables, control flow, functions, data structures, files and simple projects, for learners with no prior coding experience.

The principles of relational databases: data modelling, tables and relationships, SQL queries, and designing and implementing a database to store and retrieve data efficiently.

A short course on the logic behind programming before any particular language: algorithms, flowcharts, conditions, loops and problem decomposition.

An introduction to classical mechanics: motion, Newton's laws, forces, energy and momentum, taught with everyday examples and problem solving.

Analysing data for research projects: organising datasets, descriptive and inferential statistics, choosing the right test and presenting results clearly.

The essentials of marketing online: social media, content, search, email and paid advertising, and how to measure what works.

Graphic design skills applied to user interfaces: visual hierarchy, typography, colour, iconography and layout, and how they serve a good user experience.

The difference between digitising records, digitalising processes and transforming an organisation, and how to plan each step in a small organisation or public service.

Building websites and simple web applications without writing code, using no-code platforms for pages, forms, databases and automation.

A ten-week introduction to editing video: importing footage, cutting, transitions, titles, audio and exporting for social media and the web.

How to plan and run digital advertising campaigns: audiences, platforms, budgets, creative and the metrics used to judge return.

The common vulnerabilities in web applications and how to defend against them: injection, authentication flaws, insecure configuration and the basics of secure development.

Building mobile apps over eight weeks: app structure, user interface, data and navigation, and publishing a simple working application.

An introduction to data science: the workflow from question to insight, data wrangling, exploratory analysis, basic modelling and communicating results.

Programming in C++ with an object-oriented approach: classes, objects, inheritance, polymorphism and encapsulation, with hands-on exercises and projects.

Building interactive front ends with HTML, CSS and JavaScript: the DOM, events, responsive layout and the foundations of modern front-end frameworks.

Using Power BI to connect to data, build models, create interactive dashboards and share reports that make data easy to understand.

Communication skills for technical people: explaining technical work to non-technical audiences, structuring a talk, designing slides and presenting with confidence.

An accessible introduction to artificial intelligence for people who do not code: what today's AI tools can and cannot do, how to use them well and the questions of ethics and reliability.

The science behind food: composition, nutrition, microbiology, spoilage and preservation, and food safety in the home and small-scale production.

How raw ingredients become food products: processing methods, preservation techniques, packaging, quality control and the technology used in small food businesses.