faraday engineering challenge - a new launch!

Last week, we were delighted to share news about a cohort of our Year 8 students taking part in the IET (Institute of Engineering and Technology) Faraday Challenge, an important date in the UGS calendar, and core to our STEM provision.

Due to high demand from our students to participate in Faraday, our Science department arranged for a second Challenge day today to accommodate all, and we were once again delighted to welcome back Mrs Motiwala to lead proceedings.

Throughout the day in our Conference Room, the students worked together with the support of staff on plans and design, including financing, for the assembly, construction, and programming of a rocket model and carrier to transport it to launch site.

In each team, students assumed the role and responsibility of accountant, software engineer, mechanical engineer, and aerospace engineer.

Our Science department is particularly proud to encourage female students to participate, as women are currently under-represented in the field of engineering, despite it offering highly paid, flexible, and stimulating career opportunities.

After a break for lunch, it was time for the teams to reassemble, deliver their presentations, and test their robots, while Mrs Motiwala evaluated and awarded points for completion of each part of the procedure.

It was then time to head out onto our front field, where Mr Leech awaited with the ultimate test: the compressed air ready for launch!

Each team eagerly awaited their turn and for their designated aerospace engineer to take their place to test the prototype.

While Mrs Motiwala analysed the data and verified the results back inside, our students enjoyed a video screening from engineers at the IET, congratulating them on their efforts, and reiterating the core importance of engineering to society and to the wider world. 

As Mrs Motiwala herself told the students, engineering is everything and everywhere;  and our students' enjoyment of today was clearly demonstrable, with many sharing that they have been inspired to consider it as a career.

The day ended with a celebration of the winning team: Team 1 - Lily, Annie, Niamh and Beatrice -  proudly pictured below showcasing their prototype with Mrs Motiwala. They scored a phenomenal 34 points for their superior rocket, its proximity on launch to the landing site, and distance travelled, as well as for factors including Team Work, Presentation, and Accounting. Really well done!

Huge congratulations to all of our students for their inspired and dedicated work and enthusiasm, both today and last week.

And huge thanks to all the staff who organised and supported the event, not least technicians Mr Sharp and Mrs Yarwood, for all their hard work setting up.

And a very special thanks to Mrs Motiwala for rejoining us for this important date in our STEM calendar!