Felsted School has launched its first STEM competition asking children to find practical solutions to pandemic problems.
Open now for entries, the aim of the competition is to encourage children to use creative thinking to help solve issues resulting from the pandemic, using science, technology, engineering or mathematical techniques.
Participants won’t have to make the design but explain their idea and back it up with STEM. Problems children may wish to solve could include issues in hospitals, keeping entertained, face masks or quicker vaccinations, explained Felsted’s director of learning, Christina Bury, in the competition video.
The competition is free to enter and open to all children aged 7–16, with a chance to win £150 for their school to spend on STEM-related items and a £25 Amazon voucher for themselves. There will be a winning category for key stage 2 (years 3-6), key stage 3 (years 7-9) and key stage 4 (years 10 and 11) entry.
Entries need to be submitted via the Felsted School website by 31 March and winners will be announced in May.
Felsted School said it is “committed to confronting the UK’s STEM skill gap head on” and encourages pupils to extend their STEM learning by entering national competitions.
The prep school holds a Primary Gold Quality Mark for Science, while the senior school is a Silver Science STEM Award holder. Felsted is also a Rolls-Royce Special Merit Award Winner, in recognition of developing local partnerships through science.
The school has also held its own Women in Science Day where girls at Felsted and local schools take part in activities designed to inspire and encourage them to aspire to science-related careers.
For more details about the competition, visit www.felsted.org/stemcomp
