Discover Chemistry Prizes for Excellence in SLQ

Biannual prizes of £500 (winner) and £300 (two runners up) for KS3 and KS4 students.

About SQL

The STEM Leaders Qualification (SLQ) is a brand new initiative developed by the Centre for Science Education (CSE) at Sheffield Hallam University in partnership with the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and EDEXCEL.

Offering a BTEC qualification with EDEXCEL equivalent to a full GCSE, the new SLQ helps students to develop personal skills alongside their academic achievements for whatever they choose to do in the future.

The SLQ scheme is based on the Personal Capabilities model which has been extensively researched and developed for a decade by the CSE. It is founded on three core domains of leadership - collaboration, self belief and thinking.

This fully accredited qualification is designed for secondary students and:

• motivates & enthuses students about study and careers in STEM
• supports development of essential personal skills and capabilities relevant for life and work
• promotes personal responsibility, self-esteem and self-determination
• enables & encourages team working and leadership development so important in business
• provides interaction with STEM practitioners, careers awareness and workplace experience
• allows credit to be gained from engaging with STEM initiatives, with an emphasis on project work, creative, innovative and enterprise development

How to apply

The awards are available for youngsters demonstrating particular achievement in the SLQ (this need not be chemistry) and are open to students 'working on' or 'having completed' the SLQ.

As the focus of the award is on students gearing-up towards further study and career in sciences, the awards are for KS3 and KS4 pupils working on Level 2 of the SLQ . Unfortunately, submissions will not be viewed from students working at Level 1 Certificate.

To nominate a student, please provide evidence to justify why your student should be awarded this prize. All nominations should provide an insight into the students' SLQ work which is justified and endorsed with peer, teacher, parent, STEM community support / verification.

The Centre for Science Education will accept entries until 30th December 2009 and prize winners will be informed within 6-8 weeks of this date.