Competitions
We hold a range of competitions for students throughout the year, including our flagship annual TEXPO where students from local schools showcase their work and compete for prizes, and other projects and online activities. Find out more and enter here.
From passion to project
Get your students thinking about issues they're passionate about or developing solutions to challenges they've come across in their own lives by doing a project for The Big Bang Competition.
Taking part in the UK's top STEM competition for young people is a brilliant way to inspire your students to think big and show their passion.
Enter your science or engineering project online by 30 March 2023 at 5pm.
Images on the theme of "Controlling the Climate Crisis"
Thank you to everyone who entered our 2022 Photographic Competition on the theme of Controlling the Climate Crisis. We were delighted to receive yet again an impressive selection of thoughtful, powerful, clever and sometimes funny images that speak to this important topic.
You can see all of the photographs at our web gallery here.
Congratulations to our winners, whose entries are shown below. Since quite a few of the entries (unfortunately) didn't meet the technical criteria or appeared to be copied from stock images, we have awarded a first prize (£60) and four highly commended prizes (£20), across the age categories. We look forward to running another competition next year.
After two years off due to Covid, the annual CSES Schools' Competition returned on 17 June 2022, now known by its new name "TEXPO" (Schools' Technology Exhibition) as it accompanies our new online competitions and projects.
Numbers were understandably lower this year, but the standard of work on display was incredibly high. Entries were especially impressive given the limitations that we know people have faced over the last couple of years during the pandemic.
Congratulations to everyone who won an award at the 2022 CSES TEXPO, which took place on Friday 17 June 2022 at Anglia Ruskin University.
TEXPO: Friday 17 June 2022, ARU Chelmsford
CSES welcomes entries to the 2022 TEXPO: Schools’ Technology Exhibition.
Open to Y5-13 | All STE(A)M projects welcome | Show your work to scientists and engineers | Cash prizes to be won
Are you in a STEM club at primary or secondary school? Have you made something fantastic in technology or science lessons or for your coursework? Have you created some great software? Have you been doing interesting technical projects at home? (Or have your students?)
Or do you have some STE(A)M work you'd like to share with others – including real scientists and engineers – such as a poster, report, presentation or video?
If your answer to any of these questions is YES, then exhibit at the annual CSES TEXPO. There is prize money to be won! All STE(A)M projects are very welcome – whether practical or theoretical. The TEXPO now includes a dedicated 'poster session' for science, maths and non-practical projects.
This is also an excellent opportunity to develop your interview and presentation skills, as you explain your project to our judges, many of whom are from local industry. You won't just get professional feedback and tips from real engineers and scientists, you'll also get to talk about careers – this is great exposure and looks good on your CV or university application!
Register online quickly and easily here.
Find out more about TEXPO here.
Centenary Photographic Competition: Controlling the Climate Crisis
Also a reminder that our Centenary Photographic Competition is still open for entries.
Open to anyone living, working or attending education in Essex, our photographic competition explores the key link between the creative arts and STEM. The theme is Controlling the Climate Crisis.
We want you to take photographs that express what you think are the ways in which we are starting to mitigate the climate crisis. So take out your camera or your phone and snap some photos that encapsulate the essence of climate change and the role of science and technology! We will be looking for photos that are creative in their approach, with an innovative angle on the subject, or have a creative interpretation of the themes.
Enter online quickly and easily here.
Find out more about the competition here.
The entry deadline for both competitions is Friday 10 June 2022.
Read more: TEXPO 2022 and Photo Competition – ONE WEEK left to enter!
The deadline for entries to the 2022 Big Bang Competition has been extended until 5pm on Monday 4 April, so there is still time to get your entries in!
The CSES TEXPO 2022 is also open for entries until Friday 10 June.
- Call for entries: TEXPO 2022 and Big Bang
- Save the date: Schools' TEXPO 2022
- Centenary Photographic Competition 2022: Controlling the Climate Crisis
- Photographic Competition 2021 winners announced
- Photographic Competition 2021 Deadline Extended
- Centenary Photographic Competition 2021
- Spring 2021 Imagine! STEAM Competition winners announced
- Trust Science: Help Make Essex Covid-Safe
- CSES Imagine! Plastic – Friend or Foe?
- CSES Imagine! Environmental Challenge