News

Stem Week

The School held its first ever Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Week in July. Pupils in Years 7 to 9 enjoyed three days of activities all linked under the theme of “Space and Time”. Every faculty of the School was involved, making it a truly unique whole school event.

On the dedicated Science day, pupils made chemical and mechanical timers, with a competition being held for the most accurate. Pupils also developed marketing skills, designing and advertising original clocks. Possibly the highlight of the Science day was a trip to an inflatable astronomical dome in the School Hall, where shows about space were projected.

The Mathematics day was partly comprised of two stimulating games. Pupils were challenged with using understanding of probability to help them guide a spaceship through a treacherous course in a computer game; later they had to adopt a new planet and take part in a high speed trading game. Pupils then attended a session run by Architects in Education, where they explored the mathematics behind construction in different environments, including space.

On the DT day, pupils spent the whole day engaged in the creation of a huge variety of artefacts in their chosen medium. The artists created huge friezes inspired by thoughts of landscapes before and after the industrial revolution; in textiles pupils made garments using pre-industrial revolution methods; the food groups made food for a space café while product designers created shop fronts and even created an animated film about space. Music and drama students spent the day creating original work on a number of related themes.