Former Primary Teacher Wins National Award for Inspiring Children and Empowering Teachers

Former Ealing primary teacher Laura Cross has been recognised nationally for her work helping children fall in love with STEM, and helping teachers find new, fulfilling ways to stay in education.

Laura, founder of Inventors & Makers, has won Silver in the "Best Businesswoman Working with Children & Families" category at the 2025 Best Business Women Awards.

Since founding the company in West London, Inventors & Makers has worked with over 300 schools and nurseries across the UK, delivering hands-on STEM workshops, after-school clubs and virtual sessions for children aged 2-11.

What began as a local project has now grown into a nationwide network of teacher-led franchises known as Inventioneers: qualified teachers who have retrained to run their own local STEM education businesses, keeping their passion for teaching alive while gaining more flexibility and independence.

"I started Inventors & Makers because I wanted to show children that engineering and design are creative, hands-on and for everyone," says Laura. "But it's also become a way to help other teachers stay in education in a different way - using their teaching skills to make a real impact on children's learning, while building something of their own."

The company's mission is to inspire every child to see themselves as an inventor and engineer, breaking early stereotypes about who STEM is for. Through creative, practical learning, Inventors & Makers helps children develop problem-solving, teamwork and critical-thinking skills, preparing them for the rapidly changing world they'll grow up in.

"Research shows that children form ideas about what jobs are 'for them' from a very young age," says Laura. "By giving them positive, hands-on STEM experiences early, we can help them see themselves as capable of changing the world around them."

The Best Business Women Awards, founded by Debbie Gilbert, celebrate outstanding female entrepreneurs from across the UK who demonstrate innovation, passion and impact in their fields.

Get in touch for school or nursery workshops or franchising opportunities for former teachers: https://inventorsandmakers.com/

50 Argyle Road, London, W13 8AA

Inventors & Makers is an award-winning UK education company dedicated to inspiring the next generation of inventors and engineers. Founded in Ealing by former primary teacher Laura Cross, the company delivers creative, hands-on STEM workshops, after-school clubs and virtual sessions for children aged 2-11. Since its launch, Inventors & Makers has worked with more than 300 schools, nurseries, museums and libraries across the UK, giving children opportunities to learn through curiosity and creativity. The company also supports qualified teachers through its growing national franchise network, helping them build independent local businesses while continuing to make a lasting impact in education.

This release was published on openPR.