How to Plan a STEM Day at Your School

How to Run a STEM Day in School Without Losing Your Mind

STEM days are brilliant when they work. Pupils doing something genuinely hands-on. Staff watching children who normally coast suddenly light up. A buzz in the corridors that lasts well beyond home time. But the gap between a STEM day that works and one that descends into logistical chaos is entirely down to planning.

This guide covers every stage of how to run a STEM day in school, from the first conversation about dates to collecting feedback after the final session. It is written for whoever drew the short straw on the organising committee. Whether you are a STEM lead, computing coordinator, or the deputy head who said "yes" before thinking it through, this is your week-by-week checklist.

8 Weeks Out: Lay the Groundwork

Eight weeks sounds like plenty of time. It is, but only if you start making decisions now rather than letting them drift.

Set the Date

Check the school calendar properly. Not just for obvious clashes like parents' evenings and residentials, but for the things people forget: photographer days, flu vaccinations, Year 6 booster groups, the day half your Year 4 class goes to swimming. A STEM day works best when every pupil in the target year groups is actually in the building.

Avoid the last week of term. Staff are exhausted, routines are looser, and you will not get the engagement you need from either adults or children. The first half of a half-term tends to work well. Pupils are settled but not yet tired.

If you are booking an external provider, midweek days (Tuesday to Thursday) tend to have better availability. Mondays and Fridays are popular because schools assume they are the "enrichment" days, which means they get booked first.

Choose Your Year Groups

You have three options here:

Whole school. Every year group, Reception to Year 6. Maximum impact but requires more space, more staff awareness, and usually more than one facilitator. Works well if you are using a provider who can bring a team.

Key stage focus. KS2 only, or KS1 only. Easier to manage, fewer transitions, and you can go deeper with each group. A good option for your first STEM day.

Targeted year groups. Perhaps Year 4 (to support electricity in science) and Year 6 (to stretch their computing before SATs). This lets you tie the day directly to curriculum content those year groups are covering that term.

There is no wrong answer, but be honest about your capacity. A whole-school STEM day for a three-form-entry primary is a serious logistical exercise. If this is your first one, start with a key stage or selected year groups. You can always scale up next time.

Set Clear Objectives

"Give the kids a fun day" is not an objective. It is a hope. And it will not help you justify the cost to your headteacher or governors.

Good objectives are specific:

• Cover the Year 4 computing objective on understanding computer networks through a hands-on cybersecurity workshop
• Give Year 5 and 6 pupils physical computing experience that your weekly computing lessons cannot currently provide
• Provide informal CPD for staff by having them observe specialist-led sessions in computing, science, or DT
• Create a memorable experience that raises the profile of STEM subjects across the school

Write these down. You will need them for your proposal to SLT, for your parent letter, and for evaluating whether the day was actually worth it.

Allocate a Budget

More on this in the budgeting section below, but at this stage you need a ballpark figure. Talk to your business manager or headteacher and establish what pot the money is coming from. If you leave this conversation until four weeks out, you will discover that the budget has already been spent on something else.

Common sources: curriculum enrichment budget, Pupil Premium (if you can demonstrate impact on disadvantaged pupils), PTA contributions, or external funding. We cover all of these in detail in our guide to funding STEM workshops.

4 Weeks Out: Book, Confirm, Communicate

Book Your Provider (or Organise DIY)

If you are running the day yourself using staff expertise, this is when you need to finalise who is running what, confirm they have the resources, and check that nobody has quietly volunteered for something they do not actually know how to deliver.

If you are booking an external provider, four weeks is the minimum you want. Good providers book up quickly, particularly in the autumn and spring terms. If your preferred date is not available, ask about alternatives rather than settling for a provider you have not vetted properly.

When choosing a provider, ask these questions:

• Are your facilitators DBS checked? (This should be non-negotiable.)
• Do your facilitators hold QTS or equivalent? (The difference between a qualified teacher and an enthusiastic graduate is significant. Our team holds QTS, which means they can manage behaviour, differentiate, and adapt on the fly.)
• Do you provide curriculum links for each session? (Vague claims of being "curriculum-aligned" are not the same as specific mappings to National Curriculum objectives.)
• What equipment do you bring and what do we need to provide?
• What is your cancellation policy?
• Do you provide risk assessments?

Confirm the Timetable

This is where STEM days live or die. A timetable that does not account for break times, lunch, assembly, and transition time between groups will collapse before 10am.

Work with your provider (or your internal team) to build a realistic timetable. Allow:

• 5 minutes between sessions for transition and equipment reset
• Full break and lunch times (do not compress them; staff and pupils need the rest)
• A buffer at the start of the day for setup
• Time at the end for pack-down

Three common timetable models are detailed in the next section.

Brief Your Staff

Do not assume a quick mention in the Monday morning briefing is sufficient. Staff need to know:

• Which year groups are involved and when
• Where sessions are taking place (if classrooms are being used, the usual occupants need to know)
• What is expected of class teachers during sessions (observing? supporting? using the time for PPA?)
• Any changes to the normal timetable, including break and lunch supervision rotas
• Who the external provider is and what they look like (if applicable)

A one-page briefing sheet works well. Send it by email, put a copy in the staffroom, and mention it in briefing. Some people will still not read it, but at least you have tried.

Send Parent Letters

Parents need to know what is happening, especially if the day involves any technology their children might talk about excitedly at home without much context. A good parent letter covers:

• What is happening and why
• Which year groups are involved
• Whether there are any costs (and if so, whether these are voluntary contributions or charged)
• What their child should wear (normal uniform? PE kit for anything physical?)
• A photo permission reminder if the provider will be taking photographs

Keep it short. Nobody reads a two-page letter about a STEM day.

2 Weeks Out: Logistics

This is the boring-but-essential stage. The decisions you make here determine whether the day runs smoothly or whether you spend it apologising to the caretaker.

Room Layout and Space

Walk through every space you plan to use. Check:

Power sockets. Robotics, drones, 3D CAD, and computing workshops all need power. Count the sockets. Check they work. If you need extension leads, source them now, not at 8am on the day.

Table arrangements. Most STEM workshops work best with tables arranged in groups of four to six, not in rows. If you are using the hall, check that there are enough tables and chairs. If you are using classrooms, confirm with class teachers that the furniture can be rearranged (and who is putting it back afterwards).

Floor space. Drone workshops and some robotics activities need clear floor space. That means pushing tables to the edges or using the hall. Measure the space and share dimensions with your provider.

Display boards. If you want pupils' work displayed afterwards, have boards cleared and ready. Do not leave this until the day itself.

Internet access. Some workshops require Wi-Fi. Check your guest network is working and that you have the password ready. Providers should not need access to your main school network.

Share Risk Assessments

Any reputable provider will send risk assessments ahead of the day. Your health and safety lead (often the headteacher or business manager) needs to review and approve them. This is not a tick-box exercise. Read them. If anything is unclear, ask.

If you are running activities yourself, write your own risk assessments. This is particularly important for anything involving electricity, small components, or activities in the hall where trips and slips are more likely.

Confirm with the Provider

A quick email or call to confirm:

• Arrival time
• Parking arrangements (providers turning up with a van full of equipment need somewhere to unload)
• Entrance to use (not the main reception if they are carrying heavy kit through)
• Who their point of contact is on the day
• Final participant numbers (so they bring enough equipment)
• Any pupils with additional needs they should know about (mobility, sensory, behavioural)

1 Week Out: Final Preparations

Staff Briefing

One more briefing, this time with specifics. Share the final timetable, confirm room allocations, and remind staff of their roles during the day. If teaching assistants are expected to stay with their classes during workshops, say so explicitly. Nothing derails a session faster than a TA disappearing to do a display because they assumed the facilitator did not need them.

Pupil Groupings

If classes need to be split into smaller groups for workshops, sort the groupings now. Class teachers know their pupils. Let them decide the groups rather than doing it alphabetically. Separate the pupils who will distract each other. Ensure each group has a mix of abilities if the activity calls for it.

If you are mixing pupils from different classes (for example, half of 5A and half of 5B in each session), make sure class teachers have agreed this and that pupils know which group they are in before the day.

Display Prep

If you want to make the day feel like an event, prepare some simple displays in corridors or the entrance hall. A "STEM Day" banner, some vocabulary posters related to the workshops, maybe a question board where pupils can post things they want to find out. This takes 30 minutes but transforms the feel of the day.

Pupil Preparation

A brief conversation with pupils the day before works well. Tell them what is happening. Show them what equipment they might be using (a photo on the whiteboard is fine). Build some anticipation. Pupils who arrive knowing what to expect settle faster than those who are surprised.

Day of the STEM Day

Arrival and Setup

If you have an external provider, meet them at the door. Show them the spaces, point out toilets, offer them a cup of tea. These are small things, but facilitators who feel welcomed deliver better sessions.

Setup for a full day of workshops typically takes 45 minutes to an hour. The provider should be in the building no later than 8:00 for a 9:00 start. If they need the hall and it is being used for breakfast club until 8:30, flag this in advance.

Session Delivery

Your job during sessions is to let the facilitator teach. Resist the urge to jump in and rescue. Good facilitators have their own behaviour management strategies. If you have briefed them properly about individual pupils, they will handle it.

What you should do:

• Observe. Watch how the facilitator explains concepts. Note any techniques you could use in your own teaching.
• Support. If a pupil is struggling and you know them better than the facilitator does, a quiet word or some targeted support is helpful.
• Record. Take photos (within your photo policy). Note any standout moments for your newsletter, website, or Ofsted evidence file.

Lunchtime Reset

If workshops run morning and afternoon with different year groups, the facilitator will need time over lunch to reset equipment. Make sure they have access to the space during lunch. Offer them food if you can; most providers bring their own, but a school lunch or a sandwich from the staffroom goes a long way.

Afternoon Sessions

Energy dips after lunch. This is true for both pupils and adults. A good facilitator adjusts their delivery: more movement, shorter input, quicker transitions to hands-on work. If you notice energy flagging, suggest a quick brain break between sessions.

Pack-Down

External providers should leave your school as they found it. Tables back in place, floors clear, no stray cables or components. Check the spaces before they leave. If anything needs attention, it is easier to sort out while they are still on site.

Feedback Collection

Collect feedback while the day is fresh. Three sources:

Pupils. A simple "what did you learn?" and "what was your favourite part?" questionnaire works for KS2. For KS1, ask class teachers to capture a few verbal responses.

Staff. A quick form (five questions maximum) for any member of staff who observed or supported a session. Ask about pupil engagement, curriculum relevance, and whether they picked up anything useful for their own teaching.

Provider. If you used an external provider, they should give you written feedback on how the day went from their perspective, including any observations about pupil engagement, areas that worked well, and anything they would adjust next time.

Timetabling Models

Getting the timetable right is the single biggest factor in a successful STEM day. Here are three models that work.

Model 1: Rotation (Best for Whole School)

Year groups rotate through different workshop stations. Each group gets multiple experiences across the day.

How it works: Set up three or four workshops in different spaces (hall, classrooms, outdoor area). Year groups rotate on a fixed schedule, spending 50 to 60 minutes at each station.

Advantages: Every pupil experiences multiple workshops. Creates variety and maintains engagement. Efficient use of facilitators.

Challenges: Requires enough spaces and enough facilitators to run concurrent sessions. Transitions need to be tightly managed. Works best with an external provider who brings a team.

Best for: Schools wanting to cover a range of STEM topics. The STEM day model we use most often runs exactly like this, with our team running up to four concurrent workshops.

Model 2: Year-Group Focus (Best for Targeted Impact)

Each year group has a dedicated session, typically 90 minutes to two hours. Only one workshop runs at a time.

How it works: One facilitator delivers the same workshop (or variations of it) to each year group in sequence. Year 3 from 9:00 to 10:30, Year 4 from 10:45 to 12:15, and so on.

Advantages: Simpler logistics. Only one space needed. The facilitator can tailor the session more carefully for each year group. Deeper learning because sessions are longer.

Challenges: Pupils only experience one type of workshop. The facilitator delivers the same session multiple times, which requires stamina. Other year groups are doing their normal timetable, so the day feels less like an "event."

Best for: Schools with limited space, or those targeting a specific curriculum area (for example, a day focused entirely on computing using robotics workshops to cover programming objectives).

Model 3: Whole-School Carousel (Best for Impact and Community)

The entire school runs on a STEM timetable for the day, with every year group doing something STEM-related at all times.

How it works: External facilitators run specialist workshops for some year groups while class teachers deliver their own STEM activities with other year groups. Everyone rotates. By the end of the day, every pupil has done at least one specialist session and one teacher-led activity.

Advantages: The whole school feels involved. Teachers deliver their own STEM content, which builds confidence. Specialist workshops go to the year groups where they add most value. Cost-effective because you need fewer external sessions.

Challenges: Significant coordination. Class teachers need to prepare their own activities, which means planning time and resources. Quality can be inconsistent between specialist and teacher-led sessions.

Best for: Schools that want a genuine STEM culture shift, not just a one-off event. Works particularly well when combined with a CPD session for staff so teachers feel equipped to deliver their sessions confidently.

Budgeting for Your STEM Day

Nobody talks about STEM day costs openly enough. Here is a realistic breakdown.

Typical Costs

External provider (full day, one facilitator): GBP 600 to GBP 1,200 depending on the provider, the workshops offered, and your location. A full day with Hyett Education includes all equipment, curriculum resources, risk assessments, and a follow-up summary.

External provider (full day, multiple facilitators): GBP 1,200 to GBP 2,500 for a team of two to four facilitators running concurrent workshops. This is the model for a whole-school rotation.

DIY STEM day: Costs vary wildly. If you already have equipment (robots, circuit kits, laptops), your main costs are staff time and consumables. If you need to buy equipment, a class set of programmable robots starts at around GBP 300 to GBP 600. Consumable resources (batteries, components, craft materials) might add GBP 50 to GBP 150.

Hidden costs: Cover for the organiser if they need time out of class to manage logistics. Printing for parent letters, certificates, display materials. Refreshments for visiting providers.

Funding Sources

Curriculum enrichment budget. Most schools have a line in their budget for enrichment activities, visiting speakers, and educational trips. A STEM day fits squarely here.

Pupil Premium. If you can demonstrate that the STEM day benefits disadvantaged pupils (which it should, if you are targeting it correctly), Pupil Premium funding is a legitimate source. The key is documenting the impact. More on this in our funding guide.

PE and Sport Premium. Some schools have used Sport Premium for STEM days that include a physical element, such as drone workshops where pupils are active and moving. This is creative budgeting, but it can work if you can justify the physical activity component.

PTA funding. Many PTAs will fund a STEM day if you present it well. Approach the PTA committee with a clear proposal: what it costs, what pupils will experience, and why it matters. Offering to let the PTA promote it ("your PTA funded today's amazing STEM day!") helps.

External grants and funded programmes. Organisations like the Royal Institution and STEM Learning offer grants and bursaries. We also run funded workshops through RAF and Defence Nuclear partnerships that are available to schools at no cost.

Local business sponsorship. A local engineering firm, tech company, or manufacturing business may sponsor a STEM day in exchange for their logo on a banner and a mention in the newsletter. Approach them directly with a simple proposal.

Common Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Trying to include every year group on day one. Start with a key stage. Do it well. Expand next time.

Not briefing staff properly. The most common feedback after a disappointing STEM day is "the teachers didn't know what was expected of them." Brief them twice. In writing and in person.

Booking too late. Good providers fill their calendars months in advance. If you want a specific date in the spring term, book in the autumn term.

Ignoring break and lunch times. Compressing break times to squeeze in an extra session always backfires. Pupils and staff need breaks.

Forgetting about SEND pupils. If you have pupils with additional needs, tell your provider. Good facilitators will differentiate naturally, but only if they know what they are differentiating for. We work regularly with SEND and SEMH settings and plan for every pupil's needs.

No follow-up. The STEM day ends and everyone forgets about it by the following week. Avoid this. Display pupils' work. Share photos in the newsletter. Reference the day in future lessons. Ask Year 6 in their computing lesson: "Do you remember when you programmed the robots to use sensors? That is what variables do."

Your STEM Day Planning Template

We have put together a free downloadable planning template that covers every stage outlined in this guide. It includes a checklist for each milestone (8 weeks out, 4 weeks out, 2 weeks out, 1 week out, and the day itself), a timetable builder, and a budget planner.

Download our free STEM Day Planning Template [link]

Or Let Us Handle Everything

If reading this guide has made you think "this is a lot of work," you are right. It is. Planning a STEM day properly takes time, and most STEM leads are already teaching a full timetable with a dozen other responsibilities.

That is exactly why schools book Hyett Education. We handle the planning, the equipment, the timetable, the risk assessments, and the delivery. Your job is to tell us which year groups, which date, and which workshops interest you. We sort out the rest.

Our team of QTS-qualified teachers has delivered STEM days in hundreds of schools, from one-form-entry village primaries to large urban academies, and in SEND, SEMH, and alternative provision settings where flexibility and expertise matter most.

Every session maps to specific National Curriculum objectives. Every facilitator is DBS checked and experienced in real classrooms. Every school gets a follow-up summary you can use for Ofsted evidence or governor reports.

Book a STEM Day or get in touch to discuss your school's needs.