The John Innes Foundation has supported the development of a new education programme to enable a step change in outreach and education activities. Employing Dr Shannon Woodhouse, Education Programme Coordinator, their generous support is allowing the institute to deliver a diverse range of onsite and in-school opportunities for primary school pupils through to sixth formers.

The programme curates long-standing events like the Year 10 Science Camp, which gives students a glimpse of life in the lab, through to new initiatives like T Level placements to diversify the work experience offering from the institute. The programme is also helping to facilitate key relationships across the Norwich Research Park with local schools and teachers, and further afield with external networks.

The Science, Art and Writing (SAW) Trust is a science education charity founded in 2005 by Professor Anne Osbourn OBE FRS NAS, Group Leader, who was inspired to use science as a creative stimulus for writing as part of her National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts Dreamtime Fellowship. The SAW Trust brings science into everyday lives and develops new ways of stimulating creativity, exploration and learning.

In 2026, the SAW Trust partnered with the Centre for Microbial Interactions to develop a brand-new exhibit: the ‘Microbe Zoo’. Inside the ‘zoo’, visitors are transported into a world usually invisible to the naked eye inhabited by bacteria, fungi, viruses and algae. A team of scientist volunteers, acting as ‘zookeepers’, guide you through the different habitats as you discover how these tiny organisms keep plants, people and the planet healthy. The zoo had a very popular debut at the Norwich Science Festival and has also been chosen to feature at The Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition in London.

The Teacher Scientist Network (TSN) has now been running for more than 30 years, linking education and science communities in Norfolk. Dr Phil Smith, TSN Coordinator, empowers teachers with the latest scientific knowledge and resources, ensuring that students continue to view science as an engaging subject. TSN also loans out high-quality school science kits for a range of topics including seeds, healthy eating, soils and sustainable living to facilitate practical, investigative science.

In 2025, the Teacher Scientist Network partnered with the John Innes Centre to host the first event to encourage primary and secondary school teachers to integrate more plant and microbial science into their classrooms. Teachers networked with scientists and got free lesson plans and resources to inspire pupils and link students to plant science career paths.

Founded at the John Innes Centre in 2016, the Youth STEMM Award supports young people aged 11–19 to explore science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine beyond the classroom, while developing skills, confidence and aspirations for the future.

Participants work towards awards by completing STEMM-related activities across four strands: inspiring the next generation, engaging the public, developing skills and ‘shaping your future’. The flexible, student-led programme helps young people build a personalised portfolio of experiences which can be recorded on UCAS.

• In the 2024/25 academic year, JIC engaged with 59 local schools and 104 students did work experience placements at the institute
• Microbe Zoo welcomed approximately 3,000 visitors at the Norwich Science Festival
• TSN’s Kit Club is made up of almost 100 boxes of hands-on science resources that can be loaned
• More than 6,400 young people have taken part in the Youth STEMM Award from 11 countries