The Binding Blocks project (bindingblocks.org.uk) aims to engage students aged 14 to 19 and their teachers with cutting-edge research and real world applications of nuclear physics. This STFC-funded project has been running in its current format since 2020, and includes curriculum-linked resources, online masterclasses pitched at GCSE and A-level (and equivalent Scottish and international qualifications), a practical loan kit for teachers (suitable for use with or without nuclear sources), and teacher training resources. All materials are free to schools.

The content includes topics on many areas of nuclear physics: nuclear structure, nuclear reactions, and nuclear theory; with modules on detector physics and instrumentation, nuclear astrophysics, and medical applications; exploring SM physics, dark matter, and fusion (sustainability and social challenges); and touches on hadron physics and heavy ion collisions.

The Binding Blocks project is a collaboration between universities across the UK and beyond, the STFC National Labs, international labs, and professional bodies, led by the University of York, and it has been extensively evaluated by an independent consultant. In this talk, we outline the Binding Blocks project, present the outcomes and learning from the external evaluation of the programme, and discuss how members of the nuclear physics research community can get involved with the project.