STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, ARTS and Maths.
Transforming Family Learning at your school
STEAM Team 2026 is an innovative programme transforming how families engage with coding and digital skills in County Meath primary schools. It builds STEAM capacity through meaningful parental engagement, confidence-building, and fun OurKidsCode workshops. Our STEAM Team model is designed to support schools while minimising demands on school staff and building greater capacity in school community for adopting the new STEM curriculum.
Places limited to 20 primary schools across County Meath. Fully funded programme, open for applications until noon on
Feb 24th 2026
What is Steam Team?
OurKidsCode Model
The OurKidsCode model fosters a positive attitude towards creative coding amongst primary school families. We are a non-profit research project based in Trinity College Dublin, funded by Research Ireland.
All of our work in OurKidsCode is research-led. We care deeply about meaningful, fun learning experiences for the whole family. We have learnt that positive support and engagement between parents and school staff really helps to get OurKidsCode off the ground in a new location.
STEAM Team Model
A STEAM Team is a school-based steering group that brings together school staff, parents, and children to intentionally plan for and promote STEAM activities within their specific school context.
For 2026, with new funding from Meath County Council (supported by META community grant), our research focus is to develop a new model for home/school collaboration to support the development of an OurKidsCode club (and other STEAM initiatives) in primary schools.
Key functions of a STEAM Team:
- Planning STEAM initiatives suited to their school community
- Promoting programmes like OurKidsCode
- Planning for celebrations and showcase events
- Building sustainable parental leadership
What Makes this Different?
Parent-Led
School-Supported
Unlike other STEM programmes that rely on teacher delivery, STEAM Team empowers parents to lead with school coordination and support
After-school
Family-based
Learning happens outside school hours, bringing families together rather than adding to curriculum time
Complementary
not Competitive
Designed to work alongside existing programmes like DreamSpace and Lego League, filling the parental engagement gap rather than competing for resources
Research Backed
Trinity College Dublin partnership ensures rigorous evaluation and contributes to national policy development
The Power of "A" in STEAM
The Arts make STEM more creative, inclusive, and accessible.
For primary-aged learners, this approach helps complex subjects feel engaging rather than intimidating. Art encourages design thinking, problem-solving, communication, and imagination — essential skills that help children understand and apply STEM concepts with confidence.
In our OurKidsCode creative coding workshops, children also develop collaboration and a strong design mindset, alongside open communication. Empathy is woven into the learning experience by encouraging participants to support other families and peers once they have completed their own tasks.
How it All Works
The STEAM Team model works alongside the OurKidsCode model in two phases over the school academic year from beginning to end.
Welcome Zoom call for new schools onboarded on this programme
OurKidsCode Facilitator meets School Reps
Recruit two parents for next meeting
Plan first Taster workshop
Invite 2 students to next meeting
Fun 2-hour STEAM session
led by OurKidsCode
Plan up to 3 more Tasters
Promote them, supported by the school
OurKidsCode delivers up to 3 more Taster workshops (6 families per workshop)
Review Tasters
How many families are interested in “Start a Club” in September?
Plan the next steps - Zoom call
Zoom call to plan "What's next?" when Phase II begins in September
PHASE I ENDS
Kick off Zoom to begin Phase II
Everyone regroups and focuses on START A CLUB programme
6 MeetUps take place from end of September through November with families completing various creative coding activities
Work towards milestones for the new club
Plan STEAM Showcase
OurKidsCode and STEAM Team come together to create a mini STEAM showcase in the school
All the STEAM learning over two phases culminates in the Showcase
Key Benefits of this Programme
Benefits for Schools
Direct curriculum support: Helps meet new STEM specifications without adding teaching workload |
Meaningful parental engagement: Brings in families who don’t typically participate |
Minimal staff time: Teachers connect and coordinate, not deliver; strategic role for principals, not operational |
Sustainable model: Parent-led resource with potential to continue beyond direct OurKidsCode involvement |
Research partnership: Contribute to national educational policy; gain academic credibility |
Benefits for Families
Skill building: Builds IT confidence; prepares children for the digital world |
Quality time: Real bonding through active learning together |
Social connection: Builds new friendships; strengthens parent networks and the school community |
Accessible entry: No special tech experience needed; informal, relaxed atmosphere |
Leadership roles: Parents and children become STEAM champions; older children act as peer leaders |
Eligibility & the Application Process
Who can apply?
- Primary schools in County Meath
- Maximum of 20 schools (fully funded)
- Primarily 3rd and 4th class (ages 8-10)
Why Primary school children?
Through our pilots and advisory group expertise, we’ve learnt that 3rd and 4th class (ages 8-10) is the sweet spot for this work. Younger children still genuinely enjoy learning with their parents, before the natural independence-seeking behaviour of older children kicks in. Starting at this age also gives families a longer journey together through primary school.
FAQs
What is OurKidsCode?
OurKidsCode is a research project based in Trinity College Dublin that increases parental involvement and promotes diversity in computer education by providing STEAM opportunities for families with primary-aged children, particularly in underserved and rural communities.
What is a STEAM Team?
Whilst OurKidsCode provides the after-school family learning activities, the STEAM Team operates as the strategic planning and steering support structure within the school environment.
The STEAM Team promotes and supports OurKidsCode in their school, helping recruit new families, plan showcase events, and perhaps integrate OurKidsCode learning into the broader school community. However, the STEAM Team can also discuss and plan for other STEAM initiatives beyond OurKidsCode, giving schools ownership over their STEAM vision.
Why do parents need to be involved?
Whilst designed as a whole family experience, the programme specifically targets parents, recognising that parental involvement in children’s learning significantly benefits both the parent-child relationship and future learning outcomes. Many families continue meeting independently in their local community centres, libraries, or schools after initial facilitated sessions.
How many families in one workshop?
Up to 6 families can take part in each workshop and the whole family can participate together. We actively encourage parents to bring along younger and older siblings to join in.
How long is a taster workshop?
A Taster workshop takes approximately 2 hours and takes place outside of school hours.
Does this link with the new STEM Education curriculum?
Yes! This programme directly supports implementation of the new STEM curriculum specifications. When most of a class participates with their parents, children gain confidence that transfers to classroom lessons, and parents become equipped to support STEM homework.
What is required of school principals?
Your role is strategic, not operational. We need you to:
Champion the programme and connect us with the right teacher contacts
Support family recruitment through your communication channels
Provide space and facility access
Be part of reviewing progress with your school STEAM Team
What is asked of teachers?
We’ve heard clearly from teachers in our pilots: you want to support this work through connection and coordination roles, not facilitation.
You WILL be asked to:
Help identify and recruit families who would benefit
Connect families to resources and handle basic logistics
Potentially observe workshops if interested
Be part of the school STEAM Team
You will NOT be expected to:
Facilitate coding workshops
Have technical expertise in coding
Add this to your teaching workload
Take on responsibility when parent volunteers aren’t available
How will schools be selected?
Applications for this programme are allocated using a stratified selection process designed to ensure fair geographic representation and diversity across County Meath. As a research project, we will aim to achieve balanced participation across Meath’s six Municipal Districts (Ashbourne, Kells, Laytown-Bettystown, Navan, Ratoath, and Trim), and schools with the greatest scope to increase their engagement in STEAM activities.
Selection criteria include geographic location, school characteristics such as DEIS designation, school size, rural location, and language of instruction, as well as STEAM participation status. With a limited number of places available, not all eligible schools can be accommodated. Applications are assessed against transparent criteria to maximise diversity and research value. All selection decisions are final. Schools will be notified of outcomes by 2nd March 2026. For queries email contact@ourkidscode.ie
Interested?
FIND OUT MORE!
Turn your school into a STEAM SCHOOL!
Partners & Funders
This programme is brought to you by the OurkidsCode team in the School of Computer Science & Statistics in Trinity College Dublin. We are delighted to be developing this new STEAM Team model in partnership with Meath County Council, funded by a META community grant, but we can’t do it without you! Principals, teachers, OurKidsCode facilitators, parents and children are all active co-creators in our programme.
