Changing mindsets in support of social sciences, humanities and the arts

For teachers of social sciences, humanities and the arts, this CPD resource and student activity sheet aims to increase the visibility of these subjects.

SHAPE stands for Social sciences, Humanities, and the Arts for People and the Economy/environment. It aims to help us understand the collective power and importance of these subjects, which are integral to solving global issues.

This resource describes the successes of a recent pilot programme for SHAPE in Schools, which was introduced to 11 secondary schools in the UK. A suite of resources were developed for this programme, which are cited in the activity sheet and freely available for teachers to use.

With STEM subjects being promoted by both national and regional campaigns, SHAPE subjects (and their teachers) can feel like they have been side-lined. It is vital to address this by building an appreciation of the importance of SHAPE subjects and help nurture the next generation of talented SHAPE professionals. STEM and SHAPE are not adversaries, but allies, and SHAPE in Schools aims to make this apparent.

Building on the positive response to the pilot programme from teachers and learners, the SHAPE in Schools team is now looking to make their resources widely available so that teachers and learners can access them themselves.

This resource was first published on Futurum Careers, a free online resource and magazine aimed at encouraging 14-19-year-olds worldwide to pursue careers in science, tech, engineering, maths, medicine (STEM) and social sciences, humanities and the arts for people and the economy (SHAPE).

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