Shattering Stereotypes is an innovative pilot project investigating how Physics Outreach Officers can help shatter gender stereotypes found in schools.

Shattering Stereotypes will start dialogue and debate with over 400 Year 8 students across the South East. SEPnet Outreach Officers will deliver three activities across the year with Year 12 physics and science students from the participating schools.

These activities include:

• An introductory workshop introducing the idea of gender stereotyping and how it can have an effect on GCSE and A-Level subject choice and therefore future careers.

• A STEM careers evening for Year 8 students and their parents featuring role models from across all the different types of scientists showcasing how different types of people can succeed in STEM, regardless of gender.

• A final extended project where we will ask the Year 8 students to get creative and present their views and opinions on gender stereotyping and how it has an effect on them and their school. We will encourage the students to consider all sorts of ideas for the project!

With these three activities we hope to kick start a school-wide discussion on Gender Stereotyping and how it can be tackled.

The participating schools include:

• Charles Darwin School, Biggin Hill.

• Lampton Academy, Hounslow.

• Overton Grange, Sutton

• Preston Manor, Brent.

• St Peter�s Catholic School, Guildford.

The SEPnet team is excited to work across these schools and hopes each of them will give an interesting case study on this pilot project.

The project has been developed in consultation with the Institute of Physics� Gender Balance team and based on the findings of Closing Doors and the recommendations outlined in Opening Doors. The first workshop also includes part of the highly successful People Like Me workshop developed by SEPnet and WISE. The project is being fully evaluated by an experienced team led by Elizabeth Jeavans. A full report on the pilot project will be available in late 2017 / early 2018. If you would like to keep up to date and be informed of progress, please e-mail us and you will be added to the Shattering Stereotypes Mailing List. If you are a Physics Outreach Officer or a mixed-gender secondary state school and would like to take part in a potential second year of the project, starting in September 2017, please do get in touch