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East Northamptonshire Oundle Consortium - Engineering Diploma
22/02/2010
In phase one of Catapulting Kids Further! the East Northamptonshire Partnership, lead by Prince William School, won funding for Workshop on Wheels, an adaptive mobile workshop to bring the study of the Engineering Diploma to life.
The workshop houses exciting industry quality equipment which gives students the opportunity to explore engineering through a series of hands –on practical problem solving activities.
Result – over-subscribed courses and progression routes were developed.
To build on that success Prince William School was awarded £39,847.50 in Phase 2 of the CKF! Capital grant funding for the ‘World on Wheels’ Project – a complete ‘Virtual World’
Through ‘Virtual World’ they are creating a state of the art design studio allowing pupils full interaction with their designs. Using industry standard 3D projection technology, students can conceive, develop, evaluate, test and present their designs. The technology will allow students to work individually, fully immersed in the Virtual Worlds (via a stereoscopic headset) OR work collaboratively within the projected 3D environment with up to 10 students simultaneously having access to the virtual 3D environment (via 3D projector and glasses).
Projects can range from microscopic concepts up to the Cosmos and everything in between – the only limitations are that of the students’ imagination.
Excellent across all areas! Identification of females as an under-represented group in Engineering; 4 specific female students have been identified for particular targeting and will be mentored for KS4 Engineering students. Feeder primaries will be provided with access; good partnership application with other secondary schools.
Businesses have been identified and have been specifically named including Fairline Boats and Plaspak. The school has cleverly negotiated business use of equipment in exchange for engineering talks to Diploma students and sponsorship.
The programme – Catapulting Kids Further!
East Midlands New Technology Initiative (NTI) has been awarded the contract to distribute £600,000 of capital grants to help schools deliver the new Diploma qualifications. The funding has been provided by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) under their Catapulting Kids Further initiative.
The Diploma is designed for 14 – 19 year olds and will be available in the first five subjects to be launched - Engineering, Construction and the Built Environment, Society Health and Development, Manufacturing and Product Design, and Land Based and Environment.
Hilary Whaley, executive director of the East Midlands NTI says they are ideally placed to handle this contract: “We have a proven track record in handling the processes of allocating grant funds from our years of working with small and medium sized businesses and educational institutions.
“It is a logical step to extend this form of support to 14 – 19 year olds who then feed into our member colleges and universities. emda has correctly identified that the region’s skills base must be raised through investment in industry specific training to give us a competitive edge for the future.
“We have looked for applications for equipment that will enthuse pupils and have a real wow factor. This project is an exciting development for young people but it also has huge value for the local community and businesses who will be able to access and use the equipment to be purchased.”
The Prince William application is a wonderful example of the impact that can be made on take-up, attainment and progression in subjects where students are enthused by their teachers and supported by high quality facilities. The initial application to the Pilot programme has resulted in Engineering now being an over-subscribed course and the requirement for progression routes at KS4 to be developed.
The World on Wheels will further enhance the facilities at Prince William and its partnership schools. It is an innovative and exciting concept. Students will be able to work individually or in groups surrounded by their 3D world.