BASF inspires young minds with hands on STEM Week at St Matthew’s Primary School in Stockport

25 BASF colleagues, supported by partners, will deliver more than 20 hands‑on STEM sessions at St Matthew’s Primary School in Stockport
Running from 27 April to 1 May, the week will engage children from nursery to Year 6 through practical science, discovery and exploration
Activities range from agriculture, hand‑washing science and archaeological digs to live animal sessions and a mobile planetarium

Stockport, UK - Students at St Matthew’s Primary School in Stockport will take part in an exciting week of hands-on science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) activities as BASF colleagues in the UK deliver a dedicated STEM Week.

From 27 April to 1 May, 25 BASF employees, supported by partner organisations, will run more than 20 interactive sessions for every class in the school - from nursery through to Year 6 - bringing real world science and industry experience into the classroom.

Joining students for STEM Week, Lisa Kelly, Head of BTC Europe in the UK and Ireland said: “STEM Week is about making science fun, relevant and accessible. As a leading chemicals company, BASF is passionate about sparking curiosity and showing students how innovation and chemistry help address some of society’s biggest challenges. It’s a privilege to share that science with the next generation.”

The programme has been designed to spark curiosity, encourage questions and show pupils how science connects to everyday life. Activities include sessions exploring agriculture and how food grows, the science behind effective hand washing and archaeological digs and fossil exploration, that introduce children to problem solving and investigation skills.

Helen Clayton, Solicitor and Societal Engagement Lead, said: “Five years on from launching our BASF STEM Ambassador programme, it’s fantastic to be delivering another STEM Week with St Matthew’s. By sharing our enthusiasm for chemistry, we hope to help children understand how science connects to everyday life and the world around them.”

Alongside BASF led workshops, pupils will also benefit from sessions delivered by external partners, including animal handling experiences and a mobile planetarium, which will transform the school into a window on the stars, helping children explore the universe in an immersive and memorable way.

Teachers at St Matthew’s Primary School have welcomed the initiative as a valuable enrichment opportunity, giving pupils exposure to new experiences and role models while supporting classroom learning.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our ambition: We want to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 108,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises, as core businesses, the segments Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Nutrition & Care; our standalone businesses are bundled in the segments Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €60 billion in 2025. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.

Notes to editors

BTC Europe is BASF’s European sales organization for specialty chemicals.
BASF’s UK STEM engagement focuses around two complementary employee-led initiatives: the ScienceXperience programme and BASF’s STEM Ambassador network. BASF also supports the Great Science Share for Schools.
BASF’s ScienceXperience programme centres around the company’s manufacturing sites in the UK and delivers curriculum‑linked, hands‑on science activities for primary schools including experiments, problem‑solving challenges and real‑world applications of chemistry and engineering. These are tailored to the individual manufacturing site.
BASF’s STEM Ambassadors are based at its UK headquarters in Stockport and work in long‑term partnership with local primary schools including St Matthew’s, Larkhill and Dial Park. Each year they deliver a number of activities such as full‑week STEM programmes, classroom investigations, career awareness sessions and community science events. BASF colleagues regularly support schools through volunteering, workshops and STEM engagement activities.