Secondary and further education

"I found the Gold CREST Award experience so enjoyable that I went on to complete a second one! I learned a huge amount, not just about my chosen research topics, but other useful aspects like data collection/analysis, presentation and referencing. My communication skills and self confidence have also greatly benefited from my involvement and my Gold CREST Awards will add weight to future UCAS applications. I'd highly recommend anyone to get involved. There are opportunities suitable for all age groups and abilities with some projects only taking a few hours. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain!"

"It's made me think differently as a teacher. Now I bring in more career things and real life application [to lessons]. It's about trying to make everyone think that they are a STEM person because a lot of kids think ‘STEMs not for me, I'm not smart enough to be a STEM person’. For so many of our students, it would really make a difference school wide, not just in science. An increase in their confidence, an increase in independence, that would affect all of their subjects."

"My CREST journey has played a huge part in developing my curiosity, confidence and commitment to science and innovation. Through the Bronze and Silver Awards, I gained experience working collaboratively and independently on practical investigations, strengthening my ability to ask meaningful questions and find creative solutions. For my Gold Award, I have been managing an extended research project on my own, deepening my understanding of scientific methods, planning and resilience — all of which I’m proud to have built on my own initiative. "