Where Young Minds Meet Big Ideas in Science and Engineering

St Pauls Way Science Summer School

St Paul’s Way Trust School is where Science Summer School started in 2012. After an extremely challenging period, the school had been rebuilt as part of a major local regeneration initiative led by Lord Andrew Mawson.

A new forward-thinking school leadership team placed STEAM subjects at the heart of the curriculum. Following a chance meeting in 2011 by Lord Mawson and Professor Brian Cox at the House of Lords, the idea of presenting an annual science event emerged. St Paul’s Way Trust School agreed to host the first event in 2012. The Science Summer School journey had started and continues to this day in East London while also inspiring the creation of new events around the UK.  

The History

A ‘live’ St Paul’s Way Science Summer School event took place every year between 2012-2019.  The project model included leading scientists and engineers joining Professor Cox to share inspiring presentations and insights into their chosen STEAM fields with hundreds of students from St Paul’s Way and many other local schools. 

The school laboratories and spaces were filled with workshops and activities providing the students with practical ‘hands-on’ experience of the many potential STEAM careers.  Associated projects started to take place during the school year feeding into the Science Summer School.   This combined presentation and workshop model with year-round activity has helped to inform the structure and delivery of the growing national Science Summer School programme.

Inspirational Speakers

Throughout the day, students heard from some of the UK’s most inspiring figures in STEM, including:

  • Professor Brian Cox CBE FRS

    Physicist, broadcaster and Science Educator

  • Dr Jo Foster

    Director of the Institute for Research in Schools, a former science teacher and senior leader

A Day of Discovery

  • Hear inspiring talks

    from world-renowned scientists like Brian Cox, Jim Al-Khalili and Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock

  • Participate in hands-on STEM workshops

    led by scientists, engineers, and museum educators

  • Engage with real-world science

    through live demonstrations, experiments and collaborative challenges

  • Meet professionals

    from a range of industries including aerospace, healthcare, data science, and sustainability

  • Celebrate with friends and families

    at an evening reception featuring Q&A sessions with guest speakers

Rooted in Community, Reaching for the Stars

St Paul’s Way Science Summer School is deeply connected to its local East London community, but its ambition is global. The event:

  • Helps raise aspiration and confidence among students from diverse backgrounds

  • Connects schools with universities, museums and major science institutions

  • Supports pathways into STEM careers, apprenticeships, and Russell Group universities

  • Celebrates the power of learning by doing, championing curiosity, experimentation, and creativity

Powered by Partnership

The success of the Summer School depends on its collaborative network, including:

  • St Paul’s Way Trust School – host and lead organiser

  • Queen Mary University of London, UCL, Science Museum, Lloyd’s Register Foundation, GSK, and many more

  • Well North Enterprises – national coordinator of the Science Summer School programme

Together, they offer students not just information, but real-life experiences, professional role models, and the belief that they too can change the world.