The Government Office for Science and the Association for Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC) are piloting a programme aimed at getting primary school children excited about science and technology and how it will contribute to solving some of the biggest challenges of our time.    

This pilot phase turns analysis done by the Government Office for Science into a fun, futuristic poster that can be used as a starting point for a classroom discussion which introduces the world of humanoid robots and some of the ways they can support us now and in the future. 

Government Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Dame Angela McLean said:

The school outreach project is an exciting opportunity to prompt young people to think about important new ideas, how these will affect their lives, and how they can get involved in science and technology for the good of our collective future. I hope it helps to raise the next generation of enthusiastic scientists and engineers!

Chief Executive of ASDC Shaaron Leverment said:

This poster aims to spark curiosity, imagination and aspiration. We’re achieving this by working closely with regional science centres – through their trusted relationships with local schools and teachers, their understanding of regional diversity and close adherence to evidenced approaches to accessible and impactful STEM engagement. 

The pilot programme is running in schools in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire and aims to spark interest among Year 5 and 6 children.  

As part of the collaboration, the Government Office for Science has designed the poster and background information for teachers to use in sessions on it, while the ASDC has distributed the poster to schools through the network of Science and Discovery Centres and conducted focus groups to gather feedback from teachers and pupils.  

The pilot is the first step in what is hoped to be a long-term project that will see more analysis on emerging technologies from the Government Office for Science used to guide discussions.