Curious Minds Awards – Gold
The Gold Award is a fantastic option for schools that have completed a Silver Award and are looking to enhance their STEM learning.
The Gold Award involves more informal STEM learning, with learners sharing the fun both inside and outside the classroom.
Entry Criteria
More than half of the classes in your school must participate for the Gold Award. All entries must cover criteria from these five steps. We recommend dividing the steps out between classes to share the workload.
Step 1: Science
For step 1, we need to see that your learners are engaging in science activities in school, outdoors or online. The four curriculum strands in step 1 are: Living things; Energy and forces; Materials; Environmental awareness and care.
You may come up with your own activity ideas or use existing resources. Check out our Teacher Resources page.
For the Gold Award, schools must show evidence of one hands-on investigation from each of the four curriculum strands (four activities in total) plus two or more examples of informal STEM learning activities.
- Participate in science events or projects run by other organisations.
- Invite a science speaker to your school.
- Visit a Discover Centre.
- Take part in Science Week or Space Week.
- Show how pupils have used STEM skills in environment or sustainability projects. See SEAI, Marine Institute or Green schools Ireland for ideas.
Step 2: Technology
For step 2, we need to see that your learners are using technology in schoolwork, specifically information communications technologies (ICT), coding, robotics.
For the Gold Award, schools must show evidence of one or more example of learners using technology in school.
- Record and analyse data using a medium like a spreadsheet or graph.
- Develop a blog, website or video.
- Use electronic components to build circuit.
- Take part in coding and computer science initiatives. Examples include National Scratch Competition, Hour of Code and EU Code Week.
- Explore robotics. Examples include First Lego League.
- Engage pupils in game-based learning through games such as Minecraft.
- Use microscopes during investigations.
- Participate in Tech Week.
- Explore renewable energy technologies, for example using a solar energy kit
Step 3: Engineering
For step 3, we need to see how your learners investigate engineering in the classroom, your local area and beyond.
For the Gold Award, schools must show evidence of one or more example of learners investigating engineering.
- Plan, design, make and test a model such as a bridge, boat, rocket, water pump or catapult.
- Investigate the engineering of something in your local area, such as a bridge, factory or wind farm.
- Investigate and develop an understanding of how everyday items, such as bicycle gears, work.
- Organise an event during Engineers Week.
- Use the Engineers Week classroom pack.
Step 4: Maths
For step 4, we need to see how your learners apply their maths knowledge and skills in practical ways.
For the Gold Award, schools must show evidence of one or more example of learners applying their maths knowledge and skills in practical ways.
- Use maths skills as part of Science, Technology and Engineering.
- Apply maths skills during activities such as baking or gardening. This might include ordering, measuring and analysing data using maths operations such as ratios, percentages and averages.
- Use Maths to record and analyse science investigation results.
- Take part in Maths Week.
- Develop a Maths trail around the school.
- Use Maths to explore and help solve real-world problems.
Step 5: STEM Show and Tell
For step 5, we need to see how your learners present their STEM work outside their class. This is a requirement for all awards.
For the Gold Award, schools must show evidence of an example of learners presenting their STEM work beyond their own class.
- Show learners presenting their STEM work to other classes.
- Hold a science open day or evening where students present their STEM work to the school, parents or wider community.
- Take part in a science event with another school where students present their work.
- Take part in a science fair where children can present and discuss their work. Examples include ESB Science Blast and Junior Lego League.
Log of Evidence
When you submit your award entry, you’ll be asked to supply a log of evidence. This is proof of the STEM work you’ve outlined in your application. Your log must show proof of learners engaging in STEM. Teacher accounts and lesson plans are not enough.
How to create a log of evidence
Your log of evidence must be presented as a slideshow using the template provided.
Gold Award Log of Evidence (English)Gold Award Log of Evidence (English) Gold Award Log of Evidence (Irish)Gold Award Log of Evidence (Irish)
Schools can use PowerPoint or Google Slides to edit the template slides. This template is divided into 5 sections for each of the steps outlined above (Science; Technology; Engineering; Maths; STEM Show and Tell). Each section should show the evidence you’re providing for each activity. Please label these clearly so the judging panel can match each piece of evidence to each activity.
You can choose to add any of the following media to the slideshow template as evidence that learners have engaged in STEM:
- Photos
- Videos
- written student accounts
- student quotes
The finalised slideshow should be saved as a PDF or PowerPoint and uploaded to the online application platform SESAME. Blogs or school websites etc. will not be accepted as evidence, however screen grabs and links of these can be added to the template.
Frequently Asked Questions
Friday 1st May 2026 at 5pm (Irish time).
When you registered, you received a confirmation email with your SESAME system login details. You will use SESAME to submit your Curious Minds Awards entry.
We only accept applications via SESAME. We cannot accept email applications, nor hard copy applications or applications saved to a USB, CD, or DVD.
Video: How to submit your award entryHow to submit your award entry
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Contact us
curiousminds@researchireland.ie