Before you book a STEM incursion: seven questions worth asking

The workshop description sounds exciting. The photos look good. You have a possible date in mind.

Before you book, it is worth asking what the session will actually look like for your children and the staff supporting them. “Hands-on” can describe quite different experiences, and an activity that suits one group may need changes for another.

Use these seven questions when comparing STEM incursions, including ours. You can copy the short enquiry at the end and adapt it for your school or service.

1. What will children do themselves?

Ask the provider to talk you through a typical activity, not just its theme.

Will children choose materials, make a prediction, build something or test an idea? How much of the session is a demonstration? If equipment is shared, how will turns work?

A demonstration can be a useful part of a workshop. What matters is understanding the balance you are booking. If your priority is for every child to try something, ask how that will work with your expected group size.

2. How will the challenge suit our age range?

Give the provider your actual age range, rather than only saying “primary school” or “OSHC”. Explain whether the children will participate together or in separate groups.

Ask what happens if someone needs more support, and what comes next for someone who finishes quickly. Look for a clear example of an adjustment, such as a different construction constraint or an alternative way to record an observation.

Be wary of assuming that an older child will automatically want the hardest option, or that every younger child needs the same help. The useful question is how the presenter will respond to your group.

3. What can we arrange to help children take part?

Discuss relevant access needs before booking. Depending on your group, that might include seated working space, a visual outline of the session, quieter participation, support with fine-motor tasks or a way to join in without touching a particular material.

Ask about planned sounds, lights, textures and any substances or ingredients children will handle. Share only the information needed to plan participation, through your service's usual process. A useful conversation focuses on what will help a child take part, rather than asking them to fit a fixed activity.

Get agreed adjustments confirmed so your staff and the visiting team have the same understanding.

4. What space and staff support are needed?

Check the practical details:

• Required floor or table space and group layout.

• Indoor or outdoor setup, and the plan if weather changes.

• Access to water or power, if required.

• Arrival, setup, session and pack-up times.

• What your educators need to do during the session.

Ask who provides equipment and who handles cleaning up. Check any venue constraints early. A session that needs a large clear area may be difficult to run in a room that must also stay open for other activities.

5. What do we need for our own safety checks?

Ask what safety information and documentation the provider can supply for the proposed activities. Clarify equipment, materials, supervision arrangements and any preparation your service needs to complete.

Use your organisation's own risk assessment, visitor and child-safety processes to decide what is required. A provider's documents can inform those checks; they do not tell you everything about your particular room, group or day.

If an activity or material raises a concern, ask about an alternative before confirming the booking.

6. What does the quote include?

Request a written quote for your location, date, participant numbers and chosen format.

Check session length, materials, any travel or other charges, and whether there are limits or minimums that affect the price. Ask what happens if attendance changes or you need to reschedule or cancel.

Compare the same inclusions across providers. A headline price is hard to assess if one quote includes several small-group sessions and another covers one large presentation.

7. What could we do with the learning afterwards?

Ask whether there is a suggested question, activity or resource you can use after the visit. Find out whether it requires specialist equipment, extra purchases or significant preparation.

A manageable next step might be changing one part of an investigation or inviting children to explain a design choice. Our article on cross-curriculum STEM explores ways an investigation can connect with other learning.

A short enquiry you can copy

“We are planning a STEM incursion for [group size] children aged [age range], ideally on [date]. Our available space is [brief description], and we would like children to [main aim]. Could you suggest a suitable format, explain how children participate and share the setup requirements, inclusions and follow-up options?”

Add any relevant adjustments through your usual process. Keep the replies together so the staff organising and attending the session can refer to the same details.

Considering Beyond the Beanstalk? Send your enquiry here, and include those practical details so the conversation can start with your group.