We are thrilled to share an update on our annual whole-school STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) project, one of the many highlights of our academic year that brings learning to life for all our pupils.

This unique project is designed to seamlessly link our children's knowledge in maths, science, design technology, and computing into one exciting, hands-on experience. What makes this project so special is its progressive nature. From the youngest to our oldest pupils, the learning builds year after year, allowing children to deepen their understanding and develop more complex skills as they advance through the school - our year 6 pupils designed and built their own locomotive and then used their knowledge of electrical circuits and computing to program it to move forwards and backwards, stopping at  the right stop. 

The children absolutely love this project, and it's easy to see why. It’s incredibly engaging and allows them to unleash their Learning Superpowers! Throughout the STEM project, we see children demonstrating incredible resilience as they tackle challenges, showcase their investigative skills as they explore new concepts. They also excel in collaboration as they work together, and develop strong evaluation abilities as they refine their designs and solutions.

We believe this annual project is crucial in developing critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a lifelong love for STEM subjects and we're incredibly proud of the enthusiasm and dedication our students show year after year.

Take a look at the newsletter below to find out more.

Mrs Sumner & Mr Martin

Reception

Reception children considered why vehicles have wheels and how vehicles move and stop.  2D shapes were used to create technical drawings. of vehicle designs. They also used a pulley to lift a bucket and described what they noticed. 

Investigating if ramps and inclines change how far and how fast a wheel rolls  involved  prediction, collaboration and comparison.

Year 1

Our Year 1 students embraced their inner engineers during an exciting hands-on STEM challenge! Working in pairs, the children were tasked with designing and creating a wheeled locomotive that could travel in a straight line when released from the top of a ramp.

Year 2

Children in Year 2 thoroughly enjoyed their STEM project, where they learned about the famous locomotives The Mallard and Flying Scotsman. They were challenged to design a locomotive that could travel in a straight line and come to a stop. 

They carefully measured and used tools like a saw and bench hook to make their locomotives, then tested their creations to see which performed best. 

Year 3

Year 3 learnt a lot about the rich history of locomotive in Doncaster before embarking on making one themselves. They created a locomotive with a sturdy chassis, carefully placed axles and precise brakes. 

Our aim was to create a locomotive with the stopping distance between 4.5 and 5.5 metres, which we achieved by experimenting with the length of the string brakes. Both classes worked excellently in pairs to create something they were extremely proud of.

Year 4

Year 4 enjoyed the challenge that this year's STEM Project posed, as they had to make their own chassis, electrical circuit and gear box. 

New skills were explored which included measuring and cutting timber, evaluating the strength of different shapes, connecting pulley systems, constructing electrical circuits and making their own switches. 

They worked with great collaboration skills and used a lot of resilience to make sure the locomotives could move forwards and backwards.

Year 5

Year 5 enthusiastically embraced the exciting challenges presented by this year's STEM project! They collaborated effectively to design, create, and program a wheeled locomotive capable of moving in a straight line for 5 meters—both forward and in reverse.

Throughout their project, Year 5 acquired a multitude of valuable skills, developing their abilities in Science, Design and Technology, Mathematics, and Engineering. The project provided opportunities to explore new skills, such as measuring and cutting timber with precision, evaluating the strength of different shapes, connecting pulley systems, and utilizing Crumble to program a microcontroller. The teamwork displayed by the pupils was remarkable; they practiced excellent collaboration skills and demonstrated impressive resilience, ensuring their locomotives could move effortlessly in both directions.

This experience not only enhanced their technical skills but also encouraged creativity and problem-solving. The positivity and determination shown by Year 5 made this STEM project a great success!

Year 6

Year 6 took on a STEM challenge to design, build, and code working locomotives, blending engineering, computing, and local history. 

Using Crumble microcontrollers, they programmed their locomotives, testing and refining code to develop problem-solving skills. They enhanced their models with Sparkles LEDs that glowed green for forward movement and red for reversing, practicing conditional programming. 

In design and technology, pupils learned to draw accurate technical diagrams, measure and join components precisely, and create exploded diagrams to detail each construction stage, deepening their understanding of mechanical systems. 

Showcase Event

The STEM Showcase brought children together to share their learning from the locomotive project. 

They explored work created over two weeks and watched the locomotives in action in the testing area. Students reflected on their progress and the project’s development. 

The high quality of work and meaningful conversations demonstrated a clear understanding of the project’s aims. It was wonderful to celebrate these achievements with parents who joined us after school, sharing in the children’s success and enthusiasm.