Over the past 7 years, hundreds of students have worked to complete their STEM research projects with our Programme Directors. At the end of the course, we asked them some questions. Here are just a few of the responses.
Deputy Head (Academic) Leicster Grammar School
"We have been delighted with the progress our pupils have made during their time with Fresh Minds. Jas has worked with 30 of our most able Year 10s, helping them to develop knowledge and skills that would be hard to fit into a normal academic curriculum. The pupils have enjoyed the process and are better informed and more confident as a result. This has provided a perfect springboard for our Year 10 pupils, and I expect to see more benefits as these pupils move through Year 11 and especially when they reach Sixth Form."
Head Master Loughborough Grammar School
“Over more than a decade working with Loughborough Grammar School pupils, Daljit has had a transformational effect on the development of dozens of students through her leadership of STEM competitions. She is an expert facilitator who has created the ideal environment in which students can explore their innovative ideas and learn to understand that failure is part of the creative process before these ideas can become reality. Daljit manages to harness students’ inner creativity by listening, probing and, most importantly, by giving them the confidence that their ideas are achievable"
Medicine, Oxford University
“Mrs Kaur has an infectious passion for science that has you wanting to learn about STEM, even when you don’t feel like it. She guided us through finding areas of STEM that interest us and was a constant source of support and inspiration."
Medicine, Oxford University
“Skills developed in these sessions are the super-curricula skills universities and employers are looking for, and I would strongly advise anyone interested to get involved as I genuinely believe it had such a positive outcome for me as a person.”
Mathematics and Computer Science, Warwick University
“This project taught me invaluable skills in hardware-software interfacing, practical skills in soldering and lots of theoretical knowledge about RFID systems and circuit board architecture."
I chose to join the Fresh Minds programme because I wanted to improve on certain skills such as public speaking. I also want to talk about the fresh minds journey on my personal statement and I want to achieve a Gold Crest Award. So far i have most enjoyed speaking and getting to know my team as well as researching project ideas. I have also found the weekly seminars and recordings very helpful if i ever miss a session or want to reinforce my learning.
The Fresh Minds course sounded interesting, and it was a unique opportunity. It offers transferrable skills which I can use later in life. I liked the idea of creating a STEM based project to solve problems, I found this process really fun. I have enjoyed learning how to become more noticed by a university and a future job. I have also enjoyed working as a team. I find it helpful knowing that I have many opportunities to ask for help.
Fresh Minds allows me to develop Digital skills as well as team working/presenting skills. It also offered transferrable skills to my dream job (an architect). The course went in much more depth than a typical school course which I found beneficial. The course allowed me to gain skills and knowledge from areas which really interested me.
By doing the Fresh minds I have gained many skills and qualifications which will massively benefit me throughout my life. It allowed me to study a subject that I found interesting which was fun and interesting for me. My Favourite part so far is generating my own ideas then finally coming up with a good one. The course allowed me to be more creative especially when coming up with an innovation idea.
Fresh Minds offers skills that can aid my future career, e.g., CV and personal statement writing. Furthermore, I have an interest in computing, so I thought that my project could be based around that allowing me to further develop my skills. I enjoyed small group work and trying to come up with new ideas, the course allows you to be more creative. I found the recordings very helpful being able to go back and catch up on anything you miss. Scheduling appointments is also quite… easy with the booking software. Read more “Isaac”
I want to try and become more creative by generating ideas and coming up with solutions for problems, Fresh Minds helped me think more critically and more creatively. I’ve really enjoyed the collaborative aspect and researching different projects that I could potentially do. It was interesting to see all the different projects we could pursue. What I found most helpful was that it was easy to catch up in appointments and join sessions as the links are all in discord
I choose the Fresh Minds program because I wanted to create an innovation and the course allowed me to be able to generate my own ideas. I was really interested in creating an idea on aviation. The part I enjoyed the most is collaborating with others on a project. Being able to work with my friends and others was a fun experience for me.
The Fresh Minds course intrigued me and i have an interest with partaking in competitions with my friends. I really enjoyed generating ideas with my team, it was fun to be able to work on this with others. I found the learning process very good and there are many measures available to catch up on work and go through work in detail, which I found very helpful.
I chose to do the Fresh Minds programme of study because when it was introduced to us in assembly it sounded really promising and we were told that doing Fresh Minds increases the likeliness of getting all 9s in your GCSEs. Also, I did Fresh Minds to become more confident, the course allowed me to get out of my comfort zone. I enjoyed the informative lessons that have taught us the skills that we need to come up with our own innovative idea.
The Fresh Minds program was interesting to me because it covered areas of STEM that are interesting to me. such as Astrophysics, Automotive Engineering and Aerospace Engineering to name a few, I want to develop my pathway into the space and technology world. I would like to talk about my Fresh Minds journey on my personal statement for university and jobs as the skills I have learned will really benefit me. I would also like to achieve the Gold Crest Awards also for this purpose.… I chose Fresh Minds because it was something I hadn’t done before, I wanted to challenge myself and push myself because it is interesting and empowering. So far, I have enjoyed every aspect of Fresh Minds from the lesson to learning how to plan to the actual moments where you discuss ideas with your team. I have especially enjoyed finalising and developing ideas that could potentially be revolutionary. Read more “Hamad Anwar”
I joined the Fresh Minds programme because I want to learn how to go through the process of making a product to help my business. Some of the things I have really enjoyed are working on a project along side my friends. It was very insightful to see some of the research projects from other students to, as they can show you things you wouldn’t have thought of.
I joined the Fresh Minds programme because It is a stem based course that can give me opportunities to interact with university’s giving me a better choice to join them. I really enjoy being able to create and develop a research project with my friends. It is easy to book appointments with the programme director and the weekly seminars are good
I joined the Fresh Minds programme because it is a stem course, and i want to go into medicine so it is a great opportunity to conduct research on my favourite topics and learn more about different topics and fields. It also looks good to have a gold crest award on your cv, which looks admirable to other universities. It has been fun to be in a group with my friends and have a chance to think of innovative ideas which can help to change… the way we do things in our world, and particularly thinking how to make things more efficient. I haven’t missed a lesson, but I’m sure I’d watch the recordings if I’d missed something, or maybe just ask my group what was covered. I don’t know if we have had any Saturday sessions but I haven’t attended any extra sessions as I often don’t get notified on the sessions. Scheduling appointments with Mr Singh is very easy. Read more “Jodhvir Singh”
I took part in the Fresh Minds project because it offers employability skills and a gold crest award which will look good on my CV. I also really enjoy developing and creating ideas while challenging my mind. I have enjoyed listening to feedback of other STEM professionals as it is very useful. I also like listening to other people’s ideas to develop my own. Scheduling appointments has been useful as all my team members can‘t make it on the same day, it is also good… to have that one to one time to further discuss and improve ideas. Read more “Zara Rizvi”
I choose to take part in the Fresh Minds programme so I could broaden my knowledge and interest in STEM based subjects. I want to pursue medicine in the future, and I have already learnt so many new things from the Fresh Minds programme. I have really enjoyed brain storming ideas for my research project and working to develop these ideas. The learning process is very helpful with the weekly seminars and recorded lessons.
I joined the Fresh Minds programme because i want to go to a top university, preferably Oxford University. I hope that talking about Fresh Minds on my personal statement will get me a place. I also need some inspiration to decide what career path to go down. I really enjoy talking about current affairs at the beginning of the lesson. I also think that I receive really useful tips, in regard to writing CV’s and personal statements, that I probably wouldn’t have heard anywhere else.… The learning layout has been very enjoyable. I have enjoyed the seminars and I have used the recorded seminars to catch up on any work I have missed. Read more “Liyana Bobra”
I joined the Fresh Minds programme because I wanted to achieve a gold crest award and to gain useful skills. I have really enjoyed the seminars about innovation and how one idea can change the world. The learning process has been very informative. The recorded seminars are very useful to be able to catch up and stay up to date with work.
I joined the Fresh Minds program to further my knowledge of STEM disciplines. I really enjoy working on STEM focuses activities, as I believe they will benefit me in the future as I develop my digital understanding and programming skills. I have really enjoyed learning about innovation and seeing people’s innovations. I have also enjoyed learning more about universities such as Cambridge and Oxford. I really enjoyed the learning process. I feel the online seminars give me the skills I need to prepare and develop… my project. Read more “Ishaaq Adnan”
I joined the Fresh Mind program because I wanted to challenge myself and take part in a project. I have really enjoyed Learning about innovation and the program is helping me think creatively. I have particularly enjoyed hearing different people speaking about their journeys and how they can innovate. The learning process is really good, and the recordings have helped me catch up with any sessions I may have missed or needed some extra work.
I joined the fresh minds program want there to be something substantial on my cv that will give me an edge to thousands of other students. I also wanted to expand my knowledge and create an invention that could, possibly, in the future help others. II am very interested in STEM subjects and hope this will be an enlightening new experience for me. I have enjoyed looking at the different ways of innovating and how sometimes things that created a huge impact to the world… were caused partially by accident. I have also enjoyed learning about how what I search affects my results and recommendations and developing my own personal network. The recordings are very helpful, and the programme Director gets back quickly when you email to schedule an appointment. The lessons are informative and indulging. Read more “Umaymah Ughratdar”
I enrolled on the fresh minds program because it involves a subject which I want to pursue at A-level and university. I have really enjoyed the informal and friendly nature of the program while getting to know and meeting new people. I found the recorded sessions very helpful, in the event that I miss a session I can re watch it, so I am not falling behind.
I enrolled on the Fresh Minds program because I wanted to challenge myself and work with top class universities. I have really enjoyed working in teams and brainstorming project ideas with the other students. The learning process was very helpful, and the layout was clear to understand.
I was offered a place on the Fresh Minds programme through my school, and I hope it improves my skills over a wide variety of topics and areas which will help me in my future. The aspects of the course that I have enjoyed so far are engaging with other students from other schools and hearing their ideas and creativity. I found the learning process eventful, not stressful like school but not lazy enough to put me off work. A good balance.
I chose to enrol on the Fresh Minds program because I want to expand my knowledge, career, CV, and learn how to learn. I have personally really enjoyed learning about personal networks and meeting everyone. I found the recordings extremely helpful, especially the additional sessions over half term. One of the things is enjoyed the most is the assembly’s given to use by the programme directors.
I chose the Fresh Minds was because I wanted to learn different life skills, try to understand how to approach problems in a different way and try to be innovative to think of ideas. The course sounds very interesting and offers transferrable skills. I also wanted to try and push myself even further and the Fresh Minds course offered me that challenge. I have really enjoyed the idea generating sessions because I had to try and be more innovative and think outside the box to… try and find the answers. Once you start finding a few ideas, lots of different ideas keep on coming and all of this has benefitted me in my day-to-day life, as I am starting to read a wider variety of articles and books. I think that the learning process is good because every week I learn different skills. Even if I miss a session, recordings are available and there are also other sessions on other days which I can attend. During my half term there were also additional sessions and I found these very helpful Read more “Vashin Kaushik”
The STEM Ambassador sessions were very useful in gaining first impressions for our project from professionals in a range of different professions. Having the perspective and ideas of multiple people who all think from different viewpoints in relation to their educational background allowed us to explore solutions for different parts of our project at an early stage. The Sunday Sessions were very useful. I did think a few times the pace was slower then it could’ve been in the beginning, although in hindsight this was… probably for the better as it helped our ideas grow and gel more naturally. In my opinion, the most beneficial Sunday Session was where we went through WordPress blog making and design – as we could learn, test and ask questions in real time and was a good use of the Sunday morning. I will certainly be hoping to use these skills when establishing my blog in earnest this summer. I have definitely benefitted from a plethora of skills through undertaking the Fresh Minds course which I am sure are absolutely invaluable for the future. We were encouraged near the beginning of the programme to build a Personal Learning Network of blogs, YouTube channels and magazines which I’ve found I’ve now incorporated into my daily life. Having a constant stream of all-round knowledge flowing in has become a very good habit; it’s made me much more insightful and inspired about the world in an academic way and has increased me love for learning in general. Through leading the Innovation Project for our group, I honed skills in teamwork and co-ordination with my team members through establishing the parts which each of us had to complete each week in order to meet our deadlines set by Mr. Singh. He guided us all along through the project journey, from the idea’s conception as my brainchild until the execution of the final product. My communicational skills, confidence and professional has increased through the countless emails, LinkedIn conversations and video meetings with highly-esteemed researchers, professors, and even CEOs and board members of companies around the world. In addition, I have broadened my knowledge in a multitude of practical skills through the completion of the project. To further understand the practicalities of the project’s design, I had to learn the intricacies of 3D-modelling software. As a result of this skill, the model produced was of very high quality, and gave me a skill which I can use in the future. Furthermore, we learnt how to use app design software to create an app prototype, and used online collaboration software to co-ordinate our ideas. Undertaking the Fresh Minds course has further stimulated my aspirations to move into medicine in the future. Doing extensive research into human biomarkers heightened my fascination of the body and the amount of information it contains, and as a result I have decided to pursue the project as an EPQ in the future. When first commencing research into the different issues which we could impact, I was moved by the sheer number of people affected and my desire to help people through a career in Medicine has definitely been strengthened. The biggest and most valuable opportunity so far has definitely been the ability to create an innovation project and enter two of the biggest and most well-renowned competitions in the country. Specified guidance on how to begin and develop entries into such competitions is not something which is available to everyone, and I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to work on a meaningful and potentially rewarding project. Skills such as learning strategies and critical thinking are very valuable throughout your life, and building them from a young age through a weekly session like Fresh Minds encourages and hones a natural love of learning itself. This can bring useful widespread general benefits outside of solely for an academic purpose and is more useful then one would think at first. Creativity and problem-solving form the basis of any ideas or projects which professionals want to achieve so developing them at this stage forms the foundation for the future. The continuous insight, motivation and aid in developing methods of thinking from Mr. Singh helped the process of completing the innovation project and this is what I enjoyed most about Fresh Minds. Although there was a lot of effort needed, reflecting on the skills learnt and the time spent working with others on our project made the whole process very fun to complete. Read more “Ali Khan”
The Fresh Minds program has really helped me to excel in areas that I once was not so confident in. It has enabled me to develop resilience, communication, organisation and management skills, alongside greater understanding and knowledge. It has really built up my confidence and has pushed me to learn that anything is possible with hard work and dedication. This program has offered brilliant opportunities to enter national and international competitions and to develop an innovative project with the help of experts in certain fields… and world leading universities. Mr Singh is incredibly knowledgeable and has been very supportive throughout our project, encouraging us and guiding us and creating opportunities for us to succeed. Overall, I would strongly recommend this program to anyone who is willing to challenge themselves and think beyond what is taught at school. Read more “Evelyn Williams”
One of the STEM ambassadors had a degree which I wanted too, so them sharing their journey on how they achieved their degree and where it took them, really helped me get a better grasp of what I want out of my future. Through the Fresh Minds club, I now understand the importance of having a dedicated and interactive team, as this is critical to succeed in the research project.
I loved the WonderShare Mockitt tutorial that Mr Singh gave us. The 3 hours were well spent as we used the software for our research project. Because of Fresh Minds, I now know how to programme, design a website (our blog) and prototype a mobile app! I learnt how to work well in a team for an entire year! With over 70 hours spent on research project. Previously, I never knew just how easy it was to get in contact with experts in any field… across the world, and set up video-chats with them. Throughout our project, we contacted 12 professionals, who aided us in our ambitions and helped us develop our ideas, as well as sharing their experience. Also, now I look at the world in a different way- I am constantly scrutinising products and ideas for a way to improve them, sometimes even jotting down ideas for future projects! Due to weekly sessions, we constantly improve our critical thinking and problem solving skills, as they are frequently reinforced and utilised. I love that I now have a different perspective on the world, and constantly seek to improve other projects and come up with new ideas to better the world. Read more “Shreevani Jariwala”
It was good to work with STEM Ambassadors and to know their professional opinions on our projects as they always had various opinions and different possible problem suggestions that we could benefit from. STEM Sundays were very useful. The best part was when we learnt how to create a blog. That is something that was beneficial to us for the future and is a good skill to have! I have benefited from Fresh Minds as I have learnt how to research into one subject in… depth, put this information into a research paper and talking to experts that are specialised in the specific areas. I learnt how to connect and work with experts that I would never have spoken to if I hadn’t been a part of the Fresh Minds club. I have enjoyed doing many interesting activities and doing projects with students that I like spending time with. Read more “Esha Patel”
Working with STEM Ambassadors was very inspiring. They gave me inspiration to pursue my dreams. I enjoyed the blog creation session in particular, creating my WordPress blog for my future career aspirations. It was fun to design the blog and undertake research to discover more about my chosen field. As a result of Fresh Minds, I have improved my research skills and teamwork skills in particular, learning to manage my time and write efficiently and with clarity. It has also widened my knowledge base around… topics both inside and outside the curriculum. Fresh Minds has helped me to access more opportunities, especially things like the Gold Crest Award and other competitions like Teen Tech and Big Bang which I would not have even thought about entering. I would recommend it because it’s really enjoyable and will help me infinitely in the future. Finally, I have enjoyed seeing our project come to fruition, especially after all the hard work! Read more “Gargi Nisal”
By interacting with STEM ambassadors, I learned more about careers in certain fields plus they really benefitted in giving critical feedback to our project. Despite the lengthy sessions, the STEM Sunday sessions were helpful as we were able to interact with ambassadors without being constrained by a short time limit. I have learnt how to reach out to professionals and research basic engineering skills. Fresh Minds has helped to broaden my perception on engineering and science. It has helped me learn more about opportunities within… career that I find interesting. Fresh Minds is a must if you want to develop core skills for a successful research project. Read more “Diya Patel”
I found the STEM Ambassadors very helpful as I learned more about careers in certain fields. Their critical feedback benefited our research project as they gave useful advice which helped improve our project will hopefully get us awards like the Gold Crest Award. Fresh Minds has helped me to develop my research skills and with my technical writing for a research paper. I feel more knowledgeable about job aspects as it has given me opportunities and future ideas. I have enjoyed competing in the Teen… Tech and Big Bang competition and I’m excited to carry on working with my team! Read more “Aliya Akhtar-Hassan”
I really enjoyed hearing from the younger STEM ambassadors in particular during the STEM Sundays. Learning how to create a blog was very enjoyable. Fresh Minds has helped me to gain a lot of knowledge about Artificial Intelligence and how machine learning works. I would recommend Fresh Minds to any student as it helps gain knowledge on a variety of skills and develop new skills in problem solving. During the course, it was really enjoyable and interesting to talk to people who are so passionate… and experienced in their fields. The process of talking with the experts in the fields we were learning about, for our project was a game changer! Read more “Riana Pathmanathan”
Working with STEM Ambassadors provided valuable experience regarding how the more advanced areas of their field of work applied to real life problems. I particularly enjoyed the WordPress session, because i feel that it was a valuable experience to learn how to create a blog and website which can display your project clearly and concisely. Through Fresh Minds, I have learnt how to work in a team much better and discovered the benefits of working with universities and businesses. Several opportunities were offered by the… professionals that we met with including networking with other businesses. Fresh Minds has inspired me to attempt more things, because they are more achievable than they may appear at first. I would recommend Fresh Minds to any student as it helps to develop more realistic skills that will be useful for later experiences and opportunities such as STEM careers or building a product. I have really enjoyed the teamwork and interaction with people who think similarly. Read more “Jacob Inchley”
STEM Sundays motivated and inspired me to research and learn more. Fresh Minds has given me many opportunities and I look forward to the upcoming challenges. It has helped me to raise my aspirations, by having others that are working hard around you, it has helped to motivate me to achieve too. I would recommend Fresh Minds to any student who is considering competing in a competition as it helps guide through the process and producing a winning entry. I have really enjoyed being around… others who are also creative and productive. Read more “Lily Dimitrova”
I found the working with the stem ambassadors inspirational and informative. Fresh Minds has helped my teamwork and organisational skills by giving me an opportunity to work with friends to develop project skills for my future.
NXT Gen Innovators ‘Fresh Minds’ is a programme of study for students aged 14-17 which develops skills and subject knowledge in preparation for university and beyond.
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