STEAM - putting creativity at the heart of STEM

"The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do" Steve Jobs
Learn about our Sixth Form STEAM Scholarships

STEAM academic approach
Take a look +

We want our students leave us with the skills to thrive in a fast-changing world, equipping them to play an active role in tackling the global challenges facing humanity, such as Climate Change, Food Security, the 4th Industrial Revolution and Gender Equality.

This approach starts at the the beginning of Year 7, with all students taking part in an interdisciplinary Enquiry Week and developing their skills through experiential learning, trips and engagement with industry, with students undertaking the Fryer Project Qualification at the end of Year 8. This focus continues into the Senior School and Sixth Form with an impressive range of opportunities for students to further develop their creative problem solving skills. We are one of only a handful of schools to offer the Engineering GCSE and all our students take the Global Perspectives iGCSE.

Play
Imagine Better STEAM

Imagine Creativity
Take a look +

Our innovative approach to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) places real emphasis on harnessing our students’ creative talents and blending them with skills in critical thinking, creative problem solving, entrepreneurship and leadership as part of our vibrant interdisciplinary curriculum.

We challenge our students to apply these skills to real-world problems facing industry and society today. With our explicit focus on creativity, we give girls and boys everything they need to take an idea and make it fly. Most recently, our approach has helped the School win the 2020 Award for Excellence in STEAM Education as part of the Education and Training Awards.

Watch the vide to meet Aliaksei, one of our recent graduates now working on an Engineering PhD at the University of Southampton.

Play
Aliaksei in his glider

What are the benefits of the STEAM academic approach?

The STEAM approach is not just about keeping up with educational trends. It’s about equipping students with a versatile skill set, fostering creativity, and preparing them for a world where the only constant is change. By integrating STEAM into our curriculum, we are not only enhancing academic learning but also nurturing the innovators, thinkers, and leaders of tomorrow.

Embracing a Holistic Education

STEAM education transcends traditional boundaries between disciplines. It’s not just about learning facts; it’s about integrating concepts and applying them in real-world contexts. As Sir Ken Robinson, a renowned education expert, aptly stated, “Creativity is as important in education as literacy and we should treat it with the same status.”

Developing Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills

In a world that’s changing at an unprecedented pace, the ability to think critically and solve complex problems is invaluable. STEAM education fosters these skills by encouraging students to question, experiment, and innovate. Dr. Mae Jemison, an astronaut and physician, emphasizes this: “The arts and sciences are avatars of human creativity. They are our attempt to build an understanding of the universe and our place in it.”

Enhancing Creativity and Innovation

The ‘A’ in STEAM – Arts – is what sets this approach apart. It adds a dimension of creativity and innovation, crucial in a world where these skills are increasingly sought after. As stated by Steve Jobs, “It’s in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough—it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields the results that make our hearts sing.”

Preparing for Future Careers

STEAM education aligns with the future job market, which demands a diverse set of skills. According to the World Economic Forum, problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity are among the top skills needed in the future workforce. STEAM makes students adaptable and versatile for such demands.

Collaboration and Communication

STEAM inherently promotes teamwork, a skill that’s vital in most modern workplaces. It emphasizes communication and collaboration, preparing students for real-world scenarios where cross-functional teamwork is the norm.

Extending and enriching learning
Take a look +

Leighton Park offers several academic subjects you don’t find in most schools. Examples include Engineering as a GCSE option, as well as Music Tech and Creative Digital Media BTECs.

Our students also love our dedicated STEAM clubs, which support our budding engineers, designers, scientists, medics and technologists to experiment, explore, create and build. Examples include coding club, repair shop, robotics, maths team, design & build, club STEAM and a wealth of creative hobbies to fire up students’ imaginations.

Every year we celebrate British Science Week which is an opportunity for students to explore beyond the curriculum and experience new ways of discovering and experimenting with scientific principles.

Find out more about our STEAM co-curricular zone +
Play

STEAM Experiences

As well as our interdisciplinary curriculum and co-curricular options, there are lots of STEAM experiences to get involved in throughout the year.

STEAM Experiences include:

  • Enquiry Week focused on problem-based learning
  • Science Week, includes special lessons and visiting experts
  • Teen Tech Festival
  • Guild of the Creatively Curious
  • Tech Talks – e.g. What is AI?
  • Maths Inspiration Lectures and Competitions
  • Gilmour STEAM Competition
  • STEAMfest partnership activity
  • COP28 Climate Action
  • Royal Institute Youth Summit
  • Experiential learning, like the Year 10 trip to Thorpe Park or Lower Sixth trip to the Mini Factory.
Leighton Park students on a rollercoaster at Thorpe Park

STEAM Competitions
Take a look +

Students have the opportunity to take part in a wide array of competitions and challenges throughout the year:

  • Salter Institute of Chemistry Discovery Day
  • Science Live
  • Medicine in Action
  • Robotics Olympics
  • Junior and Senior Maths Challenges
  • British Informatics Olympiad
  • Top of the Bench
  • Institute of Physics Eureka
  • Olympiads in Biology, Chemistry and Physics
  • Minds Underground
  • Biomimicry Youth Design
  • National Psychology Competition
  • National Scientific Thinking Challenge
  • Climate Science Olympiad.
Play

Student case study
Take a look +

Delve into the inspiring journey of Sol, an accomplished Upper Sixth student, as she shares her experiences and achievements in STEAM subjects at Leighton Park.

Play
Sol STEAM

See what our students think

Nuna

41 points on IB | Chemical Engineering, Lancaster University

“The best thing about the IB for me has been the community; being able to study with the same group of people, you get really close, even in lockdown everyone was studying together; we had study groups online. We just had to try to get through this weird and difficult time together.”
Meet our students +

Ahmer

A*, A*, A*, A at A Level with an A* for EPQ | Medicine, Imperial College

"Sixth form at LP is a truly unique experience. In the classroom, teachers push you to your academic limits and provide support to develop you beyond them, fuelling a life long passion for your subjects and helping you achieve to the best of your ability. We are encouraged to think 'outside the box', beyond the syllabus and research topics of interest. Not only does LP develop you academically but also as a person."
Meet our students +

David

A*, A*, A*, A* AT A LEVEL | MATERIALS SCIENCE, OXFORD UNIVERSITY

"The biggest difference that separates Leighton Park from other schools that I have been to is the respect and friendliness I felt from the teachers and students.  It creates an extremely enjoyable environment to live and study in.  Leighton Park has offered incredible help to me and everyone else as individuals, so that each could greatly benefit.  The friendships and memories I gained during my time at Leighton Park will be valued for the rest of my life."
Meet our students +

Annie

A*, A*, A*, A* at A Level | Engineering at University of Cambridge

"I appreciated having access to nature around the park at LP, as it helped me stay focused and calm during exams, as well as helping my mental health. I also valued the teachers' inclusivity, as they encouraged me to go into STEAM subjects and organized activities to help me feel more comfortable with studying engineering at uni."
Meet our students +

Related Articles

March 15, 2024

A Timely Triumph: British Science Week 2024 +

British Science Week, an annual event organised by the British Science Association, is a long-standing tradition at Leighton Park and a popular activity for all our students. Now in its … Read More +

March 15, 2024

Maths Squared for Spring +

Our enthusiastic mathematicians were pleased to take part in two Maths opportunities this week, The Maths Inspiration lectures at The Hexagon, and the next part of our Royal Institute Maths … Read More +

March 11, 2024

British Science Week: A Moment in Time +

Head of Physics, Simon Booth, welcomed the School community to join British Science Week  on Monday 11th March with his Collect on Time. The British Science Association are celebrating the … Read More +

How can we help?

Take the next step by selecting an option below, or if you want to drop us a quick message, you can do so with the form.

Shinfield Road
Reading
Berkshire, UK
RG2 7DE
+44 (0) 118 987 9600
Request a prospectus Arrange a visit Make an application
Contact Us
I agree with your terms & conditions and privacy policy *
I would like to receive updates from Leighton Park, including updates about upcoming events