March 28 2023 | Sussex | Views: 629
Hove Park School is a mixed secondary school and sixth form centre located over two sites in Hove, Sussex which aims to inspire its students to have the aspiration, knowledge and skills to progress into STEM related studies, training or careers.
On 28 March, the school held its annual STEM enrichment day for Years 9 & 10, consisting of around 400 students in total, as well as a visiting class from nearby Longhill High School. The event was supported by The STEM Hub Central South & South East as part of Engineering UK’s Big Bang at Schools programme, aimed at young people aged 11-14 years.
Every year, Year 10 students are challenged to solve a ‘real crime’ in school which extends in different lessons across the day with video and forensics clues. This year a teacher had ‘gone missing’ and a number of teachers were implicated in the crime. In the labs, the students learnt about fingerprinting, fibre analysis and chromatography, and the Kastle-Meyer test to identify blood samples. They also learnt about careers in Forensic Science and Criminology. To support this, company Braintastic! lead a ‘Hack Your Brain’ assembly about neuroscience, perception and memory.
The Year 9s had an inspiring engineering challenge to tie in with the upcoming NASA Moon mission, Artemis II. They learnt about space travel and had to design and build a Moon rover using EngineeringUK and NASA resources. They also had online sessions with STEM Ambassadors - engineers from Arcadis – involving careers information, a quiz and interactive elements. A Year 9 teacher said: “The STEM Ambassadors presented really well, and it was well thought-out and very engaging”.
The Year 9 students also investigated endangered species and how climate change is affecting habitats and biodiversity around the world. To engage their interest in a variety of species, the company ANIMAZING lead a number of hands-on sessions with creatures from stick insects and hissing cockroaches, python and bearded dragon, to a pygmy hedgehog and an owl. “This was really a highlight of the day; there was such a buzz around the school. Even the year 11s gave up their break to come and stand at the back – they loved it,” said Charlotte Lacny, event leader and STEM coordinator.
Charlotte concluded: “This STEM enrichment day has become a fixed item in the school calendar and with the support of the STEM Hub and the Big Bang at Schools programme we look forward to it going from strength to strength.”
(All images supplied by Hove Park School)
