Education
We are a key provider and coordinator of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education activities and support in Essex. These are for students at school and home, and are designed to both stimulate an interest in STEM and to open possible career paths.
» See upcoming CSES events for schools, children and families
Including our flagship annual TEXPO, projects and online competitions throughout the year.
Out-of-school clubs, masterclasses and projects to enhance learning with fun, practical activities.
Financial and in-kind support for your STEM Club, project or activity at school.
Interactive conferences attended by students, industry partners and the public sector.
A FREE annual CSES/ARU lecture from a high-profile speaker, open to all schools.
Careers guidance, STE(A)M activities, ideas and other material for all ages both in school and at home.
Take inspiration from what others have been getting up to.
Talk to us about dedicated support, resources, projects and competitions for your school.
CSES Schools' TEXPO: Fri 21 June 2024, ARU Chelmsford (9am for 10am start, latest 3pm finish)
For Y5-13 | Show your project to scientists and engineers | Cash prizes | Free lunch!
Are you in a STEM club at primary or secondary school? Have you made or investigated something fantastic in technology or science lessons? Have you been doing interesting technical projects at home?
Are you a teacher who'd like to showcase your pupils' / students' work? Or are you a parent, guardian or tutor whose child has been working on an exciting project?
If your answer to any of these questions is YES, then exhibit at the annual CSES TEXPO. There is prize money to be won and we even provide lunch!
We welcome projects from all areas of science and technology. This could be something you've made, software, experiments, reports, posters, videos etc. Entrants to the competition are encouraged to submit projects that they have been working on already in class or at home, including those for coursework, meaning that no extra work is necessary. There is no need to have a 'finished product', and your project can be originally from another competition or scheme.
Show your work to our judges, who include professional scientists and engineers, and you'll be in with a chance of winning a prize!
Click here to find out more | Click here to enter your project(s)
We are pleased to advise that our Centenary Photographic Competition 2024, this year on the theme of Time, is now open until Friday 14 June 2024 to allow for further entries.
We want you to take photographs (up to 3 entries) that express what time means to you, or how it impacts health or our environment, including the negative or positive roles of technology.
The competition is open to primary or secondary aged students living or educated in Essex. We will be looking for photos that are creative in their approach, with an innovative angle on the subject or a creative interpretation of the themes.
There are two categories of entry: one for primary school students and one for those at secondary level. Cash prizes are available!
You can read the full details here or click below to submit an entry.
Click here to submit your entry »
Happy snapping!
CSES bursary kits granted to Chelmsford County High School for Girls
As part of the ongoing commitment to education, support and inspiration Chelmsford Science and Engineering Society (CSES) has been working with Chelmsford County High School (CCHS) for girls.
CSES member Ed Bye has been working with a group of sixteen keen and enthusiastic year 10 (14/15 years of age) students at Chelmsford County High School.
One lunchtime a week during the autumn term, the students have been exploring control electronic engineering and stored program systems based on the Micro:bit microcontroller.
In the world, there are by far many more devices (microcontrollers) than computers. With increasing electronics finding its way into all sorts of items, this number will grow. As an example, a typical budget low-end car has about 25 microcontrollers, a high-end luxury car can have over 50 microcontrollers.
The current generation of students will be using microcontrollers, developing their own equipment and projects to solve engineering problems. Thus, giving young students some insight and experience with microcontrollers puts them at an advantage and an early start.
To enable some understanding and to provide some practice with this technology, Ed designed a kit of parts to work specifically with the Micro:bit. There is a variety of about 25 sensors and actuators, shown below. These could be used in numerous projects in conjunction with a Micro:bit.
Read more: CSES continues to support schools with technology and engineering
For Primary and Secondary Students
Taking a camera or your phone and shooting a picture is an easy. But how about, when composing your image, you think about how your picture might be used to discover some aspect of science and engineering?
From your camera or mobile phone to a flower or a rainbow, from a bubble to radio mast, from smoke to light, from microscopy to astronomy, everywhere in our modern world we are facing science and engineering wonders that make our lives easier and more fun. This is the fifth year of our competition and we have had some outstanding winners.
Science meets Art – Our annual photographic competition aims at creating an opportunity for you to creatively express what you observe within science, in pictures, and we hope that this will get you to explore the visual aspects of STEAM through the art and science of photography and capture images that demonstrate and communicate STEAM concepts and phenomena.
This year 2024,
the focus of the competition is on:
"Time"
(Including everything from clocks, hourglasses, sundials to biological clocks, sunsets, stars, ancient monuments and more!)
We want you to take photographs (up to 3 entries per person) that express what Time means to you or how it impacts health or our environment, including the negative or positive roles of technology. Each photograph must be accompanied with a short plain language explanation (not more than 50 words) of the thoughts behind your photograph.
TEXPO Schools' Competition: Fri 21 June 2024, Anglia Ruskin University
We are pleased to confirm the date for the 2024 CSES Schools' Technology Exhibition (TEXPO).
The dates will be as follows:
- The TEXPO will take place on Friday 21 June 2024.
- The awards evening will take place on one evening of Thursday 11 July 2024.
Find out more about the competition here.
We are open for early-bird entries – click here to enter the TEXPO now – and will send further details in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, remember to enter this year's Big Bang competition!
From passion to project
The Big Bang Competition is open for entries! Inspire students to work together, problem solve and get creative with science, engineering and technology. New for this year, celebrate your students' inner innovator with brand-new technology prizes, supported by Siemens.
Entries will close on 27 March at 5pm so you've got plenty of time to start a project!
Find out more about The Competition and how to enter online.
- Felsted School Partners with Remap Charity in Innovative Project to Support People with Dementia
- Science and Engineering Saturday Club 2024
- CSES co-hosts STEM Conference with Drapers' Academy and Chelmsford Cathedral
- STEM Conference for Sixth Form Students
- Opportunity for students to hear a FREE talk by former Head of Technology at British Cycling
- Step into STEM at Harwich
- Congratulations to our Giving Voice winners
- 2023 TEXPO results and National Saturday Club awards
- Photographic Competition 2023 winners announced
- Photographic Competition 2023 – Deadline Extended!