Working with Local Schools
Making Stevenage Even Better is for people of all ages, creating opportunities to thrive in the place many businesses and communities call home.
A key part of our mission is working with schools to help enthuse, engage and inspire local children and provide them with a greater understanding of regeneration and the wide range of opportunities it presents for their future.
As Stevenage continues to enhance its reputation for Life Science and the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) sectors, we offer a range of activities to highlight how the programme is helping future generations.
If you would like further information about how we can work with you, please email regeneration@stevenage.gov.uk
Bringing regeneration to life for young people in our local communities
Our programme enables young people of all ages to enjoy hands-on, fun and inspiring learning experiences to enable them to get involved, get excited and have a say about the future of Stevenage.
The team at the council works alongside local schools and learners of all ages from primary pupils to university students, offering a wide range of activities and learning opportunities.
Regeneration Activities
The team provides a variety of activities to teach learners of all ages about the history of the town and why there is the need for change. Activities – which can be tailored to the needs of individual educational groups – cover the following:
- The history of Stevenage and its position as the UK’s first New Town
- How technology and online shopping have changed the way we use town centres
- How regeneration is helping to make Stevenage Even Better
- Interventions to help Stevenage become a 21st Century New Town
- Importance of recognising and celebrating heritage, arts and culture
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Old Town and New Town Walking Tours
Guided walking tours of the oldest and newest areas of Stevenage bring the towns evolution to life in a fun way.
Pupils learn how Stevenage’s High Street has evolved over time and why the close location to London played such a vital role in its growth. Along the way is the chance to see architecture, and learn the significance of the Great North Road, Coaching Inns, and tales of highwaymen.
As part of the tours, time spent studying the mural artwork brings to life stories of Stevenage, and its industry and familiar buildings.
Guided tours in the New Town enable pupils to see firsthand how regeneration is reshaping the town whilst also exploring historical public art and iconic architecture being celebrated and preserved for future generations. Quizzes and questions are asked along the way to provide an interactive and engaging session for all.
“Almond Hill have worked with the Stevenage Regeneration team for a few years now. We have been lucky enough to visit the town and look at the different projects (old and new), look at the timeline of Stevenage and study the artwork around the town centre. We have also also walked down the Stevenage Old Town High Street and found out about its link with highwaymen and highwaywomen.
All the children involved have really enjoyed this and it has been a great way for them to find out about where they live and how their home town is being developed.”
Mrs Emma Fordham, Headteacher Almond Hill Primary School
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School Competitions and Creative Challenges
Many of our activities use creativity to bring the programme to life.
In 2025, a competition invited local primary and secondary school children to design artwork to be featured in an underpass, as part of a programme to introduce urban artworks throughout the town. The competition – around the theme of colour – attracted over 950 entries from 19 Stevenage schools.
A panel of judges selected the winning 268 entries which can be seen in the Martins Way / Hitchin Road Underpass.
The underpass project was funded by the Stevenage Development Board through the national government’s towns fund of which Stevenage received £37.5m in March 2021.
Previous creative challenges included a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style challenge for pupils to design theoretical seating for town centre spaces and present this to a panel of judges, and secondary schools pupils designed a 10m long banner and tiles illustrating Stevenage pioneers.
“It’s wonderful to see the children’s creativity with colour in this latest underpass transformation. Creativity provides children with a great opportunity to explore and communicate ideas, and the overall result is stunning.”
Christina Anderson, Inclusion Leader and Specialist Leader in Cultural Education, Woolenwick Infant & Nursery School
“The children thoroughly enjoyed designing artwork for the Stevenage underpasses, using different colours to bring their creative ideas to life. They were excited to express themselves through art and loved the challenge of entering the competition. It was a fantastic opportunity for them to showcase their talents and contribute to their community!”
Davinder Khangura, Headteacher of The Leys Primary and Nursery School and Chair of Stevenage Pupil Parliament
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Classroom Workshops and Presentations
Representatives from the council and partners such as Stevenage Museum are able to visit schools and to present regeneration as part of classes or assemblies. With quizzes and creative activities, a presentation is followed by the chance to play with an interactive regeneration map and a 3D model that demonstrates the scale of change within the town centre.
Activities are adapted to the age range and discussed with teachers at a planning session to ensure work is age appropriate.
“The children very much enjoyed their regeneration workshop. The beginning of the session enabled them to learn some of the history of Stevenage whilst also learning about the regeneration that has taken place so far. All of the children thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to create their own design ideas for future regeneration.”
Yvonne Chumbley, Year 2 Teacher, Trotts Hill Primary School
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Working with the University of Hertfordshire
We work alongside the University of Hertfordshire to support their students studying for degrees in Geography and associated subjects. Often this includes tours of the town centre with more of a focus on the strategic principles behind regeneration, comparing New Towns with Garden Cities such as Letchworth.
We are supported by Stevenage Museum who provide historical information from their archives about the original plans for Stevenage New Town.
“For the last few years, our students at the University of Hertfordshire have greatly benefited from visits, talks and tours from the regeneration team at Stevenage Borough Council. Their team have consistently provided students studying geography, planning and transport courses with engaging and insightful sessions bringing our curriculum to life.”
Andrew Smith, MSc, BSc(Hons), FHEA, University of Hertfordshire
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Ensuring Young People have a Voice
The council and its partners want all young people to benefit from opportunities that help shape a positive future. We work with local services and groups who support these young people to share suitable opportunities, aiming to make activities as accessible as possible, so that all young people are able to take part and benefit.
We’re committed to making sure young people have a voice in what the council does and have recently created our Youth Team, which includes the Youth Mayor, Deputy Youth Mayor, Youth Advisory Board and Schools’ Parliament. Over the next academic year, we’ll also be launching a new Youth Action Group to join the Youth team, giving even more young people the chance to get involved, share their views and shape what we do. These groups are open to any young people between the ages of 13 – 19 (or up to 25 for those with additional needs) and the council is keen to encourage greater participation from young people not in mainstream education.
We are currently delivering a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programme for Stevenage young people involving a range of projects designed for both primary and secondary age groups. We’ve ensured that some of the STEM projects actively involve young people who are electively home educated or not in employment, education or training, helping give them the same enriching experiences as their peers.
Alongside this, we are working to make community events more inclusive. Where possible, we offer dedicated quiet times at community events to support young people not in mainstream education who benefit from a quieter and calmer environment.
If you would like further information about how we can work with you, please email regeneration@stevenage.gov.uk