We The Curious launches 25,000 free school visits
Bristol’s much-loved science centre and educational charity We The Curious is celebrating its 25th birthday.
The launch of Future Sparks, a bold new free school-visits programme designed to open up science learning for thousands of young people across the city. Running from now until 2030, the initiative will offer fully funded visits for primary and secondary pupils, aiming to tackle educational inequalities and make sure that every child has the chance to explore, discover and, most importantly, be curious.
Over the past quarter-century, We The Curious has welcomed around 65,000 schoolchildren each year, providing two floors of hands-on exhibits, live science shows and its iconic planetarium. As an education charity, it has long worked to subsidise trips for schools in under-resourced areas and to bring science directly into classrooms through outreach projects. But Future Sparks marks its most ambitious step yet: a pledge to provide 25,000 free places for pupils across BS1–BS16, including SEND schools and alternative provisions.
The free package goes far beyond entry. Each visit includes a live science or planetarium show and free transport, removing huge financial barriers that currently prevent many children from enjoying school trips. The programme will focus mainly on Year 3 and Year 8 – vital stages when children’s confidence, curiosity and future relationship with science are taking shape. With 40% or more students on free school meals in the priority schools, the need is clear. Currently, pupils eligible for free school meals make up 25% of the UK’s Year 11 cohort but only 8% of STEM A-level entries, showing how early inequalities can limit future opportunities.
Future Sparks has already begun thanks to a generous £150,000 donation from the John James Bristol Foundation, funding visits for 6,600 primary pupils. Every participating school in the pilot reported a positive impact: children talked more enthusiastically about science, showed greater confidence, and remembered key ideas long after their visit.
To keep Future Sparks growing, We The Curious is calling on the city to get involved. From membership and Gift Aid to volunteering, partnerships or one-off donations, every contribution helps. Even small amounts go far: £4 – the price of a big chocolate bar – can send a child “to Mars” in the planetarium, while £760 can give a whole Year 8 group an unforgettable science experience.
As CEO Donna Speed puts it: “Every child deserves the chance to be curious.” With Future Sparks, We The Curious is lighting the way.
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