The React Foundation

The Foundation was conceived to encourage West Cumbrian students to attend university to study an engineering related degree. Whilst the success of the University Award meets the initial concept of the Foundation, the trustees felt that we should also be providing encouragement to younger students to ensure that they get onto the ‘correct track’ to study engineering. So, in 2005 we also launched an award for Year 11 students (the ‘A Level Award’) to ensure that they enter into sixth form studying the correct ‘A’ Levels to subsequently enter onto a university engineering degree course. In 2007, we introduced the Annual Science & Engineering Shows. Each September we invite 7,000 young students along to these interactive curriculum-linked sessions. The shows have been a huge success engaging the students in science and we hope that we have inspired many future engineers and scientists.