Science Stars

Who is it for?

The Science Stars raising attainment programme aims to boost Year 11 pupils’ GCSE grades. Pupils who require extra support to move from Grade 4 to Grade 5/6 in their Double Science GCSE are specifically targeted for this programme.

Local schools are invited to participate if their school aligns with the St George’s Widening Participation team’s objectives; for example, if the school has a high number of pupils from underrepresented backgrounds, as well as a high number of pupils receiving free school meals.

What does it involve?

Between October and April, the pupils meet weekly with trained St George’s university student ambassadors to receive customised science tutoring. Each session is delivered in small groups (3 pupils to 1 St George’s Tutor) and is tailored to the participant’s individual needs.

Evaluation

The evaluation of the Science Stars programme has shown very promising results. Statistically significant effects on academic attainment were observed both years, suggesting that the programme has the potential to deliver meaningful improvement for young people in their Science GCSE examinations.

Download the evalutation reports below:

• Science Stars summary evaluation report (2018-19) (PDF)
• Science Stars summary evaluation report (2019-202) (PDF) 
• Science Stars summary evaluation report (2020-21) (PDF) 
• Science Stars summary evaluation report (2021-22) (PDF)
• Science Stars summary evaluation report (2022-23) (PDF).