Alpha Outreach

Thornden School STEM club

Alpha staff visited Thornden School KS4 STEM Club in July 2025, to deliver a session to support the upcoming diabetes curriculum in the Autumn term. Staff delivered a brief presentation with background information on the different types of diabetes, risk factors and indicators supporting diagnosis.

This session included a urinalysis practical using urine dipsticks to identify factors indicative of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Students were given 3 patient profiles and samples to test and decide on likelihood for diabetes diagnosis. Using their critical thinking, students determined which patients were at risk of diabetes.

The session ended with a demonstration of our UTS™ Digital Urine Analyser, an example of how science evolves with technology and how STEM subjects are involved in all steps from innovation and development to end users in clinics.

Throughout our work with Barton Peveril Sixth Form College we have helped support their science department through a range of activities. Find out more

Where we could, we sought to aid engagement in science, offering ‘hands-on’ experience with basic clinical equipment. Over the years we adapted our programme to better meet the needs of the students and college.

Starting off with small group sessions hosted at Alpha Laboratories HQ during the students Easter holidays. These sessions included practicing key aspects of lab work such as using dip stick tests to show basic colour changing urine analysis, and liquid handling products with a range of graduated pipettes. This was combined with a commercial overview of the business and careers talk to help students understand the different pathways within the medical and scientific sector.

In conjunction with our ‘Aspire Days’ held at Alpha HQ, a team of staff developed and produced several E-booklets for the college aimed at BTEC students. A resource which has been incorporated into their curriculum, supporting over 150 students each year.

In 2024, we held our Aspire days on site at the college. With the development of resource materials to support the practical activity. Staff members spent 3 days presenting and assisting with a blood grouping exercise, helping show the process from collection to analysis.

Due to the success and reception of our activities at Barton Peveril Sixth Form College, we seek to expand our engagement programme. Now Alpha Outreach, an internal team has been banded to develop a structured long-lasting programme, which aims to target areas of inequalities within education. We look forward to exploring educational science needs at all levels of education.

We strive to collaborate with educational bodies to deliver a resilient framework of resources that we hope can be used year-on-year. If you would like to discuss any potential opportunities, please contact outreach@alphalabs.co.uk.