STEM Horizons launches hubs in two new regions, extending computer science to a further 700+ students
From September, two new STEM Horizons Hubs will partner with local state schools to support an additional 720 young people aged 13–16 to develop their Computer Science skills. Kingswood School, Bath, will lead a new South West Hub, while Bolton School will establish a North West Hub. Together, the two new partnerships will support 320 students through the core programme to boost GCSE Computer Science grades and inspire a further 400 Year 9 students to explore the subject through the Bright Sparks programme.
Bolton and Kingswood join an existing network of five hubs, led by the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle; Magdalen College School, Oxford; UCS Hampstead; Norwich School; and Oundle. Each hub works closely with at least five local state schools, focusing on intakes with above-average proportions of students eligible for free school meals. Specialist hub teachers deliver weekly Computer Science teaching aligned to the bespoke STEM Horizons curriculum, alongside wraparound maths support and aspiration-raising activities. With the two new hubs, STEM Horizons will reach more than 3,000 students over the three-year pilot.
The programme tackles the significant shortage of specialist Computer Science teachers, felt most acutely in schools serving disadvantaged communities. STEM Horizons is being independently evaluated by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), assessing its impact on GCSE attainment and students’ aspirations to pursue further STEM studies and tech pathways.
Ian Davenport, Consultant Programme Director for STEM Horizons, said:
“Both Kingswood School and Bolton School possess strong expertise in both partnership working and the delivery of Computer Science education. They also demonstrate a clear and evident commitment to improving educational opportunities for students from more disadvantaged backgrounds. We are confident that they will make a highly valuable contribution to this programme as it grows and builds important evidence of impact.”
Andrew Gordon-Brown Principal of the Kingswood School Foundation said:
“I am delighted that we have been given this opportunity to further enhance our partnership work in the STEM space. The STEM Horizons Project is an exciting pilot which facilitates independent, state school collaboration in such an important area, in such a practical way, and it’s an honour for Kingswood to lead the new South West hub. We are very grateful for the support of the Hg Foundation and look forward working with our local partner schools to share our expertise in computer science and to inspire new cohorts of pupils in Year 9 to take this up as a challenging option for their GCSE studies.”
Jon Hitchin, Director of Partnerships at Bolton School, said:
“We are delighted to become a STEM Horizon Hub and to work with the Hg Foundation expanding access to high-quality computer science education. This initiative reflects our longstanding commitment to meaningful partnerships and to sharing expertise that benefits young people across our local community.”
About The Hg Foundation
The vision of The Hg Foundation is that the tech workforce of the future harnesses the talents of all, regardless of background. To achieve this, it helps underrepresented groups to access high quality jobs in tech by supporting education- and employment-based programmes across the UK, Europe and North America. The Foundation, which is an independent registered charity, is funded by Hg, a leading transatlantic software investor. To date, the Foundation has committed $45m, supported 55 education and employment programmes, and helped more than 80,000 young people and adults access opportunities in the technology sector.
About Bolton School
With almost 2,500 pupils, enjoying an education from Nursery to Sixth Form, Bolton School is one of the largest independent day schools in the country. Academic results at GCSE and A Level consistently place the School amongst the best in the North of England and often within the top 100 nationally. The School provides a wide range of enrichment activities and is nationally recognised for its volunteering work and achievements in outdoor learning, sport, music and drama.
A desire to drive social mobility has been fundamental to the School’s ethos since its re-foundation in 1915 by Lord Leverhulme. In 2025, Bolton School named as both the School/College of the Year at the 2025 UK Social Mobility Awards (SOMOs) and as the Independent School of the Year for Contribution to Social Mobility at the 2025 Independent School Parent Magazine Independent School of the Year Awards.
About Kingswood School
Founded in 1748 by John Wesley, Kingswood School in Bath is a co educational independent day and boarding school for pupils aged 3 to 18, educating around 1,100 young people across its Prep and Senior Schools. Kingswood is rooted in a Methodist tradition that places character, compassion and service at the heart of a broad and academically ambitious education, guided by Wesley’s enduring call to “do all the good you can”.
Kingswood School is committed to partnership and community engagement, delivering nationally recognised programmes across STEM, Sport and Social Justice. Within STEM particularly, the School has developed a growing body of partnership work focused on aspiration, progression and applied learning, as Regional Centres of Excellence for VEX Robotics and STEM Racing. Royal Institution Maths Masterclasses, have also become a key area of engagement working alongside local HE partners. A defining feature of Kingswood School’s approach is its integrated partnership model, featuring long term, programme based partnerships that combine academic credibility, and inclusion, alongside meaningful service opportunities for young people. The school has also been recognised in recent year including shortlisting for the Independent School of the Year Awards, in the Sunday Times Parent Power South West Top 10, receiving the Silver Equalities Award for sustained commitment to inclusion.