Past projects supported by the Outreach Fund
Read about successful projects that have received outreach funding
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Catalyst Girls Cornwall
Organisation(s): Cornwall Education Business Partnership, One Blue Eye, Cornwall Climate Care, Cornwall Science Museum Discovering 42
Location: Five secondary schools in Cornwall
Grant size: £10,000
Audience: Year 8 secondary school girls from underserved and underrepresented groups, including pupils from rural communities, low socio-economic backgrounds, and those identified as being at risk of becoming NEET (not in employment, education or training)
The Catalyst Girls project was designed to address the underrepresentation of girls in STEM subjects and careers, particularly chemistry-related pathways. Many young people in rural and disadvantaged areas of Cornwall have limited exposure to STEM opportunities, role models, and career information, which can restrict aspirations and future progression.
Through a series of programme of activities, the project sought to increase awareness of chemistry and STEM careers, improve confidence, and help participants understand how chemistry connects to everyday life, sustainability, and future employment opportunities.
Workshops were delivered in small groups, creating a supportive environment that encouraged participation from less confident learners. Activities and facilitation were adapted where required to meet individual learning and engagement needs, ensuring all participants were able to take part and benefit from the experience.
Topics covered in the outreach workshops included sustainability and environmental science, pollution and climate challenges and materials science, as well as more career-minded topics such as STEM and chemistry career pathways, green careers and local industry opportunities.
More than 125 12- and 13-year-old girls Cornwall – and 20 school staff – took part in the 25 workshops, while other students got to enjoy the work through assemblies. Specifically developed for girls who may not typically access STEM enrichment opportunities, those who signed up were able to enjoy:
- Hands-on practical activities and experiments.
- Team-based problem-solving tasks.
- Interactive discussions and reflection activities.
- Real-world examples linking chemistry to environmental and sustainability issues.
- Career exploration sessions featuring industry ambassadors and STEM professionals.
The approach used as part of the Catalyst Girls programme enabled participants to explore chemistry in a practical and meaningful way while developing confidence, teamwork and career awareness. For teachers and schools, this initiative gave them not just access to engaging STEM resources designed for an underrepresented demographic and support in reaching that group but also connections to local partners and industry.
Real-world examples were used throughout to demonstrate how chemistry plays a role in everyday life and contributes to solutions for environmental and sustainability challenges. Participants also took part in careers-focused sessions, where they were introduced to STEM professionals and industry ambassadors, helping them gain a better understanding of the wide range of opportunities available within STEM-related fields.
The project achieved several positive outcomes for participating pupils, including:
- Increased awareness of chemistry and its real-world applications.
- Improved understanding of STEM and chemistry career pathways.
- Increased confidence in discussing science-related topics.
- Greater engagement with STEM learning.
- Enhanced understanding of sustainability and environmental issues.
Evaluation data showed that many participants reported higher levels of confidence and a broader understanding of STEM careers following involvement in the programme. Of those surveyed, 90% said the Catalyst Girls initiative had increased knowledge, and many reported increased confidence.
Perhaps as importantly, around 90% reported increased interest in STEM subjects and opportunities and approximately 95% of pupils found the sessions interesting or very interesting, highlighting the positive impact of Catalyst Girls.
The individual stories are similarly impactful. One participant entered the programme with limited awareness of careers linked to chemistry and little understanding of how science could connect to everyday life.
Through practical workshops and discussions with STEM professionals, the participant developed a broader understanding of the opportunities available and left with increased confidence in their ability to pursue science-related pathways.
"I didn't realise how many different careers used chemistry. The workshops helped me see that science could be part of my future,” they said.
Meanwhile, a member of staff added: "The programme engaged pupils who would not normally participate in STEM activities. We saw noticeable improvements in confidence, participation and career awareness."
Little Lab Coats: Big Experiments for Young Scientists
Organisation(s): Leiston Education Partnership
Grant size: £4,757
Co-funding: Spectra Packaging, from Halesworth, donated plastic bottles. Worked with the to use their kit loaning equipment. Sizewell C funded teaching time and equipment for the Kit Loaning Service, which was run in collaboration with the Teacher Scientist Network
Audience: A total of 150 Year 3 children across four primary schools workshops to date, while 12 schools are participating in the Kit Loaning Service
Leiston Education Partnership (LEP) is an organisation working with 13 primary schools and three secondary schools across Norfolk and Suffolk. We work collaboratively with schools to support and improve educational opportunities for children and young people.
Little Lab Coats aimed to enhance the quality and accessibility of chemistry education across 10 primary schools within the LEP. We focused on addressing key barriers to teaching chemistry, particularly a lack of teacher confidence, subject knowledge and access to suitable equipment and resources for practical science.
As well as working closely with the science leads in the participating primary schools, we also worked with a Royal Society of Chemistry member who has a master’s degree in Colour Chemistry, as well as drawing on equipment and support available through the Teacher Scientist Network.
We delivered an afternoon practical chemistry workshop for pupils based around two colour chemistry topics. The sessions explored acids, alkalis, density and lava lamps, using engaging practical activities to develop pupils’ scientific skills and spark their interest in chemistry.
Alongside the workshops, we established a half-termly science equipment loan service, allowing schools to borrow practical equipment for use in their own classrooms. We also linked this provision with equipment available through the Teacher Scientist Network, increasing the range of resources schools could access.
Many primary schools face significant barriers to delivering high-quality chemistry education. Teachers may lack confidence in teaching chemistry, particularly practical investigations, and schools often do not have access to specialist equipment.
Our aim was therefore to increase pupils’ engagement with chemistry while building teachers’ confidence and capacity to deliver practical science independently. By combining engaging pupil workshops with access to equipment, we aimed to create a sustainable improvement in chemistry provision across the partnership.
The RSC Outreach Fund grant enabled us to purchase equipment for the new kit loan service and fund the resources required to deliver the Colour Chemistry workshops. This investment has created a bank of equipment that schools can continue to access beyond the project, making practical chemistry more achievable and sustainable.
The workshops have also provided teachers and pupils with ideas and experiences that can be built upon in future lessons.
- The programme has delivered four primary schools workshops to date, with 12 schools participating in the kit loan service.
- Around 150 students have taken part in Little Lab Coats, Big Experiments workshops to date, while between 1,800 and 3,000 students have benefitted from the kit loan service.
The project had a positive impact on both pupils and teachers, increasing engagement with chemistry and providing schools with greater access to practical science equipment. Through the Colour Chemistry workshops, pupils developed their understanding of chemistry through hands-on investigations, while seeing how chemistry connects to their everyday lives.
In formal evaluations, teachers reported that the activities were “engaging, interactive, and pitched appropriately for the children” and provided “an excellent balance of hands-on investigation and scientific learning”.
The workshops also increased pupils’ confidence, curiosity and enthusiasm for science. One teacher commented that the workshop was “a fantastic experience that inspired curiosity and enthusiasm for science.” Another described the impact on pupils as “amazing! The children were beaming and came away with a renewed love and understanding of chemistry and how it fits into their everyday world.”
The delivery was praised as “exceptionally well organised and delivered”, with Cimone described as “enthusiastic and knowledgeable, ensuring all children were involved and confident to participate”.
The kit loan service has also had a significant impact on schools’ ability to deliver practical science. Teachers described it as “an excellent initiative” and “a really great resource for supplementing what we have available in school”.
Another commented that “the kit loans were an invaluable resource and greatly enhanced the teaching of science in our school”, providing opportunities for “practical, hands-on investigations that would not otherwise have been possible”.
Schools particularly valued the range of equipment, with feedback noting that “the rocks and electricity equipment in particular were a great help”. One teacher described the service as “fantastic, a really useful resource particularly when money is so tight”.
The longer-term benefit is that the equipment has now been purchased and the Colour Chemistry workshop can continue to be delivered year on year. Our next step is to provide CPD for primary staff on using the equipment effectively, alongside lesson resources to support teachers in delivering practical science activities independently. This will help embed the project’s impact and build lasting confidence and capacity within schools.
Mission Outer Space
Organisation: Cap-a-Pie in collaboration with Professor Robert Pal (Durham University) and Dr Lewis MacKenzie (University of Strathclyde)
Grant size: £10,000
Co-funding: £10,970
Audience: Primary schoolchildren between the ages of 4 and 7
Cap-a-Pie is a Newcastle-based theatre company that has been creating theatre with children and young people since 1996. Working in partnership with schools and university researchers, they use storytelling, drama, movement and music to help children explore complex ideas in creative and accessible ways. Projects bring together artists, educators and researchers to make learning collaborative and memorable.
Mission Outer Space is an interactive show for children between the ages of four and seven exploring one of the biggest questions in science: are we alone in the universe? Through storytelling, performance, music and audience interaction, children travel across the galaxy and find out how chemists are trying to look for signs of life beyond Earth.
The project was created by Cap-a-Pie in collaboration with Professor Robert Pal (Durham University) and Dr Lewis MacKenzie (University of Strathclyde). Their research shaped both the scientific content and the narrative, including exploring how scientists can use chemistry when investigating whether life might exist beyond Earth.
The project aims to encourage children’s curiosity and imagination, introduce them to the breadth of scientific enquiry and show that science can be exciting, fun and connected across different disciplines. As Professor Pal says, the hope is that children “ask questions” and perhaps go on to find some of the answers themselves.
Mission Outer Space premiered at Northern Stage on 26 September 2026, with two sold-out performances reaching 89 audience members. It is now being delivered in primary schools from autumn 2026. Each performance includes Makaton.
Funding from the Royal Society of Chemistry supported the development of the workshop. It enabled us to work closely with our chemist collaborators to create the script. It also supported the development of set, costume, music and a very catchy song. Due to support Cap-a-Pie were able to work with skilled freelance artists to develop and engaging and high-quality performance for families.
More than 300 audience members have enjoyed 10 performances in local schools, while another 89 spectators saw two performances at Northern Stage. The group also created another interactive theatre show for children aged between four and seven. As well as the Makaton-infused performances, the team also created a pre-teaching lesson plan and accompanying slide for schools and a colouring and drawing activity sheet for the young audiences who attended the Northern Stage performances.
Mission Outer Space aims to encourage children’s curiosity about science and the universe and to show them how researchers investigate some of the biggest questions we can ask. The project introduces children to the idea that searching for life beyond Earth can involve chemistry as well as other scientific disciplines and encourages them to ask questions and use their imaginations.
The collaboration with Professor Robert Pal and Dr Lewis MacKenzie also created opportunities for scientists to communicate their research in a new way. Dr MacKenzie said that working with Cap-a-Pie enabled the researchers to think about science communication “in new and exciting ways”, and Professor Pal described it as “an absolute pleasure” and said that people outside the underlying science often ask “the best questions we never thought of.”
The project premiered at Northern Stage on 26 September, with both performances sold out. One audience member said: “It made me wonder if there actually is life elsewhere.”
School delivery has now begun with 10 performances planned in local schools, reaching approximately 270 children in the North East. A Year 1 pupil at Hotspur Primary School said: “I enjoyed learning about space, what is the same and what is different.”
The project is intended to leave children excited about science and thinking about the question “Are we alone in the universe?” Professor Pal said: “Most importantly, I hope they ask questions.”
Spectroscopy in an Envelope
Organisation: University of Strathclyde
Grant size: £2,000
Audience: Around 100 classes across 49 schools
Secondary schools in the UK are in a time of chronic financial pressure, with many unable to afford even very simple instrumentation such as visible light colourimetry. Schools in rural and remote locations are additionally disadvantaged by the difficulty of in-person access to local university departments, which otherwise often step in to cover this shortfall with outreach activities and spectroscopy visit days.
Scotland has many sparsely populated areas, with around 80 secondary schools that are over an hour and a half from the nearest chemistry department (and many much further away).
However, the University of Strathclyde’s department of Pure & Applied Chemistry has long supported Scottish schools with classroom resources, conferences, CPD events, and spectroscopy visit days.
To serve our rural and remote communities, RSC Outreach Fund grants have enabled us to develop a low-cost alternative to a conventional colourimeter, cheap enough to be permanently given away at scale. The colourimeters were paired with classroom resources and instructional videos, and a hundred colorimetry kits to almost fifty of the most remote schools in Scotland.
The colourimeters operate with the same level of functionality as a conventional instrument, and are applicable to all analytes suggested in the Scottish chemistry curriculum such as copper sulphate, potassium permanganate, or amylase-starch.
The project provided two kits each to 49 chemistry teachers in target schools over Easter 2026, along with a pupil worksheet, a spreadsheet calculator, and two instructional videos hosted on our website.
Evaluation is ongoing, but from the teachers who have spoken to us so far, each kit has been used with multiple classes, for an estimated total impact of 1,000 pupils per year on an ongoing basis.
Verbal and written feedback has been extraordinarily positive so far – every single teacher we’ve polled has been overjoyed to receive the kits and plans to use them with classes, either in June or at the start of the next academic year in August. One teacher reported that pupils had “learned something that they had never thought about before.”
Another gave positive feedback on the design itself, which moves away from a “black-box” approach to equipment to one in which the components are visible and user-friendly: “It was good to see the actual colours of the light. You don't get this with a traditional colorimeter.”
We anticipate ongoing evaluation beyond the end of the project, as the kits become embedded in routine lesson plans on an annual basis.
The Reaction Zone
Organisation: The Darwin Centre
Grant size: £5,214
Audience: Primary schoolchildren, mainly in Years 5 and 6, in Pembrokeshire
The Darwin Centre is an award-winning educational charity based in Pembrokeshire that has been delivering inspiring, hands-on STEM education for more than 20 years.
Working with primary and secondary schools, community groups and partner organisations, the Darwin Centre aims to make science accessible, engaging and relevant to young people through curriculum-linked workshops and field experiences. Each year, we work with around 5,000 participants, helping to develop scientific knowledge, confidence and curiosity while raising aspirations towards future STEM careers.
Our Royal Society of Chemistry Outreach Fund project, The Reaction Zone, was developed to bring exciting, practical chemistry experiences directly into primary school classrooms.
The project was designed to complement the Curriculum for Wales by giving pupils the opportunity to investigate chemistry through real experiments that many schools would otherwise be unable to deliver because of equipment costs or limited resources.
The workshops included a range of interactive activities exploring environmental chemistry, polymers, petrochemistry and chemical reactions. Pupils investigated the pH of household substances and environmental samples, created instant snow to explore polymer chemistry, took part in oil spill clean-up challenges linked to petrochemistry, and observed dramatic demonstrations including elephant's toothpaste, bioluminescence and the Mentos geyser.
Throughout the day, pupils were encouraged to work collaboratively, interpret results and think critically about the chemistry behind each investigation and its real-world applications.
The project was delivered by the Darwin Centre's experienced STEM education team in partnership with local primary schools across Pembrokeshire. Teachers participated alongside their classes, enabling them to build confidence in delivering practical science and providing ideas and resources that could be used beyond the workshop itself.
The project aimed to increase pupils' enthusiasm for chemistry, improve their understanding of key scientific concepts, and demonstrate how chemistry plays an important role in everyday life and in addressing environmental challenges. We also wanted to boost teachers' confidence in delivering practical chemistry activities.
Funding from the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Outreach Fund enabled us to cover staff time, purchase specialist scientific equipment, consumable materials and safety equipment required to deliver high-quality practical workshops. The grant allowed us to provide engaging, hands-on experiences for pupils who may not otherwise have had access to this level of practical chemistry.
Almost 300 pupils and 17 teaching staff from eight Pembrokeshire schools took part in 11 day-long Chemistry: The Reaction Zone workshops between January and July 2026.
• The team developed a new full-day practical chemistry workshop, covering chemical reactions, biochemistry, environmental chemistry, polymer chemistry, petrochemistry, acids and alkalis, and applications of chemistry in everyday life.
This included practical activities and demonstrations included Elephant’s Toothpaste, bioluminescence, ocean acidification, oil-spill clean-up, instant snow/polymers, pH investigations, soil testing and Mentos geysers.
• Meanwhile, a dedicated Chemistry: The Reaction Zone Padlet was created and shared with participating teachers. It contains cross-curricular follow-on activities, experiment methodologies, information about different areas of chemistry, chemistry careers and links to resources from organisations including the Royal Society of Chemistry.
• Equipment and reusable practical resources were purchased and developed, allowing the workshop to continue beyond the funded project.
• Through 279 pre-workshop and 258 post-workshop pupil questionnaires, organisers obtained evidence of pupils’ knowledge, confidence, aspirations and engagement.
• The workshop has now been incorporated into the Darwin Centre’s ongoing STEM programme for Pembrokeshire schools.
‘Chemistry: The Reaction Zone’ gave primary pupils the opportunity to discover chemistry as a broad, practical and relevant subject. Through hands-on investigations and demonstrations, pupils explored biochemistry, environmental chemistry, polymers, petrochemistry, pH and chemical reactions, connecting chemistry to oceans, farming, space, pollution and everyday life.
Evaluation showed strong enthusiasm. Before the workshops, 94% of respondents were very or a bit excited to learn more about chemistry, although many had limited understanding of its breadth. This was reflected by the fact that 17% said they did not yet know anything about chemistry, while initial descriptions commonly centred on experiments, explosions, potions and mixing.
Following the workshops, 67% felt very or quite confident explaining chemistry, 54% felt very or quite confident naming chemistry-related jobs, and 58% said they would definitely or maybe consider studying chemistry or having a chemistry-related career in future.
Pupil feedback particularly demonstrated increased curiosity and awareness. Comments included “there’s loads of different types of chemistry”, “I learnt new jobs including chemistry” and “[there are] loads of jobs in science that I didn’t know before.” Pupils identified subjects they wanted to explore further, including forensic chemistry, astrochemistry, biochemistry, polymers and environmental chemistry.
The enjoyment was equally clear: “I really enjoyed the science all day”, “I loved the day overall and I would love to have more lessons”, and “I want to do another lesson like this.” One pupil told us, “When I grow up I want to be a chemistry scientist,” while another said, “Science is my favourite subject and I would love to be a chemist when I’m older.”
The project also leaves a lasting legacy. The workshop will remain part of our STEM programme, equipment will be reused, our teacher Padlet will continue to grow, and developing the programme has increased the chemistry knowledge and confidence of our two staff members.
Great UK Waterblitz
Organisation: Earthwatch Europe
Grant size: £10,000
Co-funding: £56,500 (RSC grant included)
Audience: Members of the public, including students and youth groups
Earthwatch Europe is an environmental charity with science at its heart. We connect people with nature and give them the tools they need to fight for our planet.
From fighting for healthy freshwater, bringing greenspaces to our cities, or putting nature back into farming, we support communities and organisations to build knowledge, create connections and motivate action.
FreshWater Watch is the largest citizen science water quality monitoring project in the UK. We provide training and simple testing kits to volunteers, and no prior scientific expertise is needed. Anyone can take part in the project and help to uncover the secrets hidden beneath the surface of freshwater bodies. The kits detect levels of nitrates and phosphates present in freshwater, as these are key nutrients that determine ecological health.
The FreshWater Watch project is global, and we work alongside organisations, corporations, research institutions, community groups, schools, youth groups, and members of the public. We also partner with scientists, such as Imperial College London, to conduct specific testing of additional chemicals and emerging threats (e.g., PFAS, which are also known as ‘forever chemicals’).
The Great UK WaterBlitz is held across the UK twice a year, during spring and autumn, over four consecutive days. The aim is to maximise engagement of the public during this period and collect as much data as possible, providing a ‘snapshot’ of water quality. With enough funding in the future, the hope is that the amassed data will become too big to be ignored.
We believe that the next generation of citizen scientists need to be engaged and empowered urgently, to understand water quality issues and how they can make a difference. The RSC Outreach Fund grant has enabled us to work more closely with our existing school networks this year and provide educational resources for effective outdoor learning.
This latest four-day citizen science event, delivered between 18-21 September 2026, was our sixth and featured the highest number of participants so far. Over 4,300 surveys were uploaded across the UK, with more than 8,000 people directly involved and a further 2,300 joining via a webinar.
In all, 514 schools, youth groups and partners participated, while 60 schools expressed interest in resources and a further 14 have signed up for a printed pack, which includes learning materials, activity ideas for students, and water testing ‘demo kits’.
In response to our post-event feedback survey, 48% of participants reported that they had no prior involvement with water-related activities before taking part in the Great UK WaterBlitz, so it was wonderful to be able to engage these people for the first time. The data showed that 88% rated their experience as ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’, with 99% reporting that they would happily take part again in a future event. Additionally, 28% of respondents felt that their connection to nature increased as a result of taking part, with 70% staying the same. Crucially, 73% reported that their “understanding of water quality issues and waterbody health has improved through taking part”, with 25% staying the same.
In terms of behaviour change, here are some examples from the participants:
“I feel inspired to be more proactive, and to say 'yes' to being involved in future events. I think it has been beneficial too in raising awareness of issues of water pollution amongst my family and friends.”
“I regularly tell people about the participation of citizen science and how they can get involved.”
“Ensuring I replenish and reinvigorate soil on own nearby allotment without adding chemical products.”
“I've been able to better explain the link between agricultural run-off and water quality, it is something I have now explained to several people in my family and friend circles.”
“I will no doubt meet more like-minded people now. It's a great talking point!”
“I will check with a grown up first and ask if it's okay to go and paddle in a river!”
“[I want to] raise more awareness in our local area. I already do speak on it regularly, but with the valuable data that we have access to thanks to the Great UK WaterBlitz, I can regularly refresh my toolkit.”
Water Chemistry Explorers Phase 2: Peer-to-Peer Science in Outdoor Education
Organisation: The Alba Explorers
Grant size: £5,535
Co-funding: No cash co-funding; approximately £785 in-kind staff time from The Alba Explorers
Audience: Approximately 820 primary pupils aged 5 to 11 and 35 teachers across 14 primary schools in Angus, Dundee and Perthshire, Scotland
The Alba Explorers is a social enterprise based in Angus that delivers outdoor and environmental education to primary schools across northeast Scotland. Our tutors take curriculum learning outside, using hands-on activities to make science practical and memorable.
The schools visited include six rural primaries with little access to science enrichment; two Dundee schools serving communities with significant indicators of low income and lower educational attainment; one primary school located in one of the country’s most deprived areas, and another school with 40 pupils placed there for additional support.
Water Chemistry Explorers Phase 2 built on our first RSC-funded project, in which pupils learned the chemistry of clean water: filtration, purification, pH testing and removing contaminants. In Phase 2 we went back to those schools and asked the pupils who had taken part to become the teachers.
Each delivery day followed the same pattern. In the morning, the returning class (P5 to P7) had a refresher on water purification chemistry and built a working water filter. Before lunch they planned how to teach it, producing posters, scripts, lesson plans and quizzes. In the afternoon a younger class joined them outdoors and the older pupils led the session themselves, explaining the science and guiding their younger peers through building a filter.
Between October 2025 and April 2026 we delivered 16 sessions at 14 primary schools in Angus, Dundee and Perthshire. Teachers and support staff from every school worked alongside our team of five outdoor educators.
We ran the project because many of these schools serve rural communities or areas of deprivation, or have high numbers of pupils with additional support needs, and have little or no budget for science enrichment. Phase 2 was designed to deepen that learning by having pupils teach it, while giving a new group of younger pupils their first experience of practical chemistry.
The £5,535 grant paid for tutor time and travel, session consumables, and a reusable kit and printed resources for participating schools so teachers can repeat the activity themselves. It meant every session was free to schools, so access was decided by need rather than budget.
More than 850 people from 14 primary schools in Angus, Dundee and Perthshire engaged with the programme across 16 delivery sessions between October 2025 and April 2026. Approximately 400 older pupils (P5 to P7) acted as peer teachers to roughly 420 of their younger students (P2 to P6), while 35 teachers also took in the activities. Peer teaching was delivered at 15 of 16 sessions, while one school featured a refresher. At Strathmore the intended class had been taken off site, so only a refresher took place.
Participating schools received a reusable consumable kit and printed resources, and were able to benefit from full session plans – with risk assessments – that cover facts, activities, instructions, optional games and safety measures.
Across both phases of RSC funding, 14 schools revisited water chemistry with pupils, and all but one went on to teach it to younger classes.
The clearest outcome was evidence that learning from Phase 1 – which introduced primary pupils to water chemistry through one-day outdoor workshops covering filtration, purification, pH testing and contaminant removal – had stuck. Tutors recorded strong, unprompted recall of filtration, pH and purification across schools. At one school, pupils remembered their original session and independently developed content to teach younger peers, while pupils at another prepared their own posters and quizzes, with their lead tutor describing it as the best chemistry session he had delivered at any school.
Teaching the content pushed pupils to understand it properly. A P7 pupil at one school took a natural leadership role, closely replicating the tutor’s own delivery techniques, and one pupil there remarked “this is harder than I thought.” P7 pupils at another school built a quiz to check whether their P6 audience had understood. Tutors consistently noted the confidence and creativity pupils showed when teaching.
Around 420 younger pupils received a peer-led introduction to practical chemistry from older pupils in their own school.
We also learned what makes the model work. Two groups with longer time slots consistently produced stronger results than three shorter rotations, and schools that briefed pupils in advance got the most from the day. Where delivery was split across two visits, giving the lead group more preparation time, peer teaching was noticeably stronger. Large whole-class groups with high additional support needs were hard to manage across a full day, which reinforced the value of smaller groups. We refined our pre-visit communications during the project as a result.
Several teachers expressed interest in repeating the activity independently using the kits and resources left with them. The session plans can be reused at any school, and we plan to keep running the sessions wherever we can fund the consumables.
Kingfishers: School Freshwater Champions
Organisation(s): Exeter Science Centre and ThermoFisher Scientific
Grant size: £9,648
Co-funding: In-kind support from Earthwatch Europe, Greenpeace Research Laboratories and the University of Exeter Citizen Phage Library
Audience: Key Stage 2 schoolchildren (7-11 years) from underserved communities in South West England
Exeter Science Centre is a science engagement charity that works to connect people across the South West with current research, industry and local action, while Thermo Fisher Scientific contributed scientific expertise through analytical chemist Reg Godwin.
Reg and Exeter Science Centre co-director Dr Alice Mills created Kingfishers: School Freshwater Champions, a citizen science project designed to engage young people in freshwater monitoring while improving understanding of water quality in under-monitored streams and rivers across Devon and Cornwall.
The project aimed to reach Key Stage 2 pupils from underserved communities, train schools to monitor their local waterways over a seven-month period, and help children understand the impact of human activity on the environment through real scientific investigation. Schools were chosen for their proximity to wastewater infrastructure with high recorded spill hours and, in most cases, higher free school meal eligibility.
Eight schools were recruited and equipped with water-testing kits, microscopes, pH testing kits, thermometers, kick-sampling equipment, freshwater invertebrate identification guides, teaching resources and access to the Earthwatch Europe FreshWater Watch platform. Teachers received training and support to enable regular monitoring activities.
Between January and July 2025, pupils carried out monitoring of nitrate, phosphate, turbidity, pH, temperature and biodiversity indicators at local rivers and streams. The project was delivered in partnership with Earthwatch Europe, Greenpeace Research Laboratories and the University of Exeter’s Citizen Phage Library.
These collaborations, together with a further collaborator laboratory offering broader high-resolution mass spectrometry screening, enabled advanced laboratory analysis of organic pollutants, pharmaceutical residues and bacteriophages alongside the schools’ citizen science activities.
Every participating school also received an interactive water quality assembly, which enabled them to explore river ecosystems, water treatment, pollution and environmental stewardship through practical demonstrations.
A total of 635 pupils from eight schools across Devon and Cornwall participated and benefitted from the project assemblies and educational activities – vastly more than the original target for 250 children.
Eight schools received water-testing kits, microscopes, biodiversity monitoring equipment, teaching resources and training, with small groups at each school carrying out months of structured monitoring. Interactive assemblies covering water quality and environmental science were delivered at all participating schools.
Freshwater monitoring carried out between January and July 2025 led to the collection of 44 nitrate and phosphate results by participating schools.
Samples were sent to different facilities, with 10 water samples undergoing advanced organic pollution screening at Greenpeace Research Laboratories using mass spectrometry to quantity pesticides and qualitatively identify veterinary medicines. Other samples were submitted to the University of Exeter Citizen Phage Library programme.
The project’s work saw three previously unknown bacteriophages against E. coli identified from the Holsworthy downstream site. Two additional new bacteriophages were identified from the Bradworthy downstream site, including one active against multidrug-resistant E. coli ST131.
The collaborator laboratory’s broader screen identified many more human pharmaceuticals downstream of wastewater facilities, including painkillers, antidepressants, antiepileptics, diabetes drugs and a medical imaging contrast agent. Holsworthy downstream showed the greatest chemical complexity. These results are relative peak areas rather than concentrations, so full quantitative analysis at Holsworthy is the logical next step.
A 38-page project report was produced, covering methods, results, educational impact and a call to action for stronger institutional support for river citizen science.
The project delivered significant environmental and educational benefits. Evaluation data showed strong improvements in pupils’ scientific understanding, environmental awareness and confidence to take action on environmental issues.
Interest in science increased from 78% to 85%, while understanding that personal actions affect the environment rose from 64% to 79%. Understanding of how to measure pollution that cannot be seen increased from 40% to 67%, and interest in future citizen science participation grew from 63% to 82%. Knowledge of what chemical scientists do almost doubled, rising from 35% to 67%.
Environmental stewardship also improved. The proportion of pupils intending to save water increased from 87% to 98%, while understanding of pollution sources increased from 65% to 87%.
By the end of the project, 50% of pupils could identify the Environment Agency incident hotline as an appropriate way to report environmental concerns, compared with just one pupil before the project.
Enjoyment was exceptionally high, with 95% of pupils reporting that they enjoyed taking part and 65% discussing the project with friends and family, extending its impact beyond the classroom.
Teacher feedback was unanimously positive, with all respondents agreeing that the programme increased pupils’ interest in science and understanding of water quality. Eighty-three per cent said they would be very willing to participate in similar citizen science projects in the future.
One teacher commented: “This project enabled our pupils to experience being ‘real’ scientists… It was wonderful to discover the hidden creatures within our local water source and to ensure the water treatment works is doing a good job at maintaining healthy water quality.” Another described it as “one of the best” science-linked projects they had been involved in.
Overall, the project demonstrated that school-based citizen science can generate meaningful environmental data while inspiring young people to engage with science, environmental stewardship and their local communities.
Explore all past projects
In the tables below you can see all the varied activities that we are supporting or have supported in your area.
Interactive map
Use our interactive map to learn more about previous Outreach Fund projects.
- Zoom in to a location, select an orange (2024) or purple (2023) point and read about the Outreach Fund project in that area
- Select the door icon to the top left of the map to see all the layers and turn them on and off
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