Our teaching of STEM empowers every student to use their creativity and to develop their critical thinking skills through more practical, hands-on activities that require adaptive thinking.
We support and challenge our students to apply their learning in different contexts, and to make connections between the classroom and the world around them.
Four specific disciplines
Science
Incorporating Chemistry, Biology, and Physics, we encourage students to examine the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world, through observation and experimentation.
Technology
Our STEM program incorporates collaborative, active learning activities that include topics such as robotics, computer programming, machine learning, and game development.
Engineering
Engineering connects the STEM disciplines and is where we apply scientific knowledge and mathematics to design, build, and maintain technologies, brought to life through our activities in karting and robotics.
Mathematics
We focus on everything from introductory algebra to geometrical constructions and challenge students to delve into mathematics as a concept that can be applied to the world rather than just academic problem solving.
Passion for STEM
We start in the nursery with a science table, we use 'virtual reality' in IT lessons and we have a comprehensive engineering programme in the senior school.
Once students enter Year 8, they experience STEM at an entirely different level. We now offer Engineering in place of the more traditional Design Technology lessons. We run practical hands-on sessions that utilise the school's karts to explore mechanical processes such as hydraulics, combustion and tyre construction. The scheme of work was developed by our specialised teaching staff who have a genuine passion for mathematics and motorsport.
STEM through motorsport
The curriculum and its development is being watched carefully by Motorsport UK and we hope to secure their backing and accreditation. The culmination of the course is at Whilton Mill kart circuit which offers a unique educational opportunity as the students utilise the facilities at one of the country’s most prestigious kart circuits.
Students begin their session in Whilton Mill’s boardroom, where they are fully briefed, before moving to on-site classrooms to complete the final module of engineering work. After this, in teams of three, they will be working on their own designated racing kart for the afternoon, putting into practise the skills, knowledge and understanding they have acquired over the course. The afternoon will culminate in the students getting out on circuit in Whilton Mill’s arrive-and-drive karts.
It is a unique educational experience that has sparked the imagination for all the students in the year 8 test group. Moving forward we are looking to roll the course out to both year 8 and 9 with a strand of practical mechanics running all through the preparatory school.
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