STEAM Double Bill for Thorngrove!

Twenty four Year 5s from Thorngrove School, close to Newbury, visited Leighton Park on Thursday 18^th April for a double workshop session enhancing their experiences in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Maths). With Textiles or Engineering to choose from the girls elected to head for the Art Department’s Batik Workship with Textiles teacher, Debbie Ince, whilst the boys piled into the DT workshop for a masterclass in Engineering with DT & Engineering Team, Mark Smith (Head of DT & Engineering) and Jeff Fuller (DT teacher).

The Batik workshop encourages creativity and colour awareness whilst developing skills in design and production using hot wax and a pouring tool called a tjanting. The DT workshop focussed on an understanding of iterative design with teaching about gear ratios and loading. With lunch thrown in to round off the morning the visitors all had a great time!

“This workshop is so cool, I really recommend it.” commented one keen engineer, whilst classmate Henry T agreed, “It was lovely!”. For Henry H the best part of the workshop “was when me and Louis got to Level 12 on the ramp!”. In the Art Department the girls were equally pleased with their experience. Emma remarked “I love it there, the most fun part was when we used dye to paint.” Whilst Abigail enthused, “It was amazing!”. Nina agreed reflecting, “It was so fun, I would love to go again!”. Elsie concluded, “I really recommend this place and all the teachers are super nice.”

Head of DT at Thorngrove School, James Broughton, was hoping his pupils “would gain knowledge of mechanisms and some much needed experience of Textiles” before coming to Leighton Park and felt that the experience was “Excellent. Both groups enjoyed themselves and learnt a tremendous amount.” Danny Helliwell, ICT teacher at Thorngrove, added “The boys were completely engaged with the age-appropriate task and learnt lots about the design process.” Whilst Emma Venner, Thorngrove’s Head of Science, enthused, “It was very successful in giving students an insight into another aspect of DT and an opportunity to get creative.”