The Importance of STEM Education

What will be the next really significant technological development? Where will science take us next? How will engineering develop the way the landscape looks? Who are the people that are going to be at the forefront of this progression?

These questions are all thoughts on the minds of BVIS Science and Mathematics departments as we endeavour to make our students better problem solvers, strategic thinkers, team-based workers and innovative creators. A “STEM education”, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, looks to bring areas of the British and International curriculum together to encourage BVIS students to progress in these key skills that entrepreneurs, businesspeople and future employers require.

Here at BVIS we have been working to provide students with the opportunity to be presented with a problem, to plan, work together and execute a strategy. A floating garden, business science plans, the spaghetti bridge challenge, floating paper boat, parachute survival are just some of the topics students from Year 3 to Year 10 have been looking at. The most recent project saw students attempt to build a working, model eco-car. Whilst the problem was daunting, all students progressed in at least one of the core skills that a STEM curriculum aims to enhance. Teams showed success in building an elastic-propelled car in less than 50 minutes!

Well done to those who have been involved; we look forward to developing the STEM facilities here at BVIS further and enabling BVIS students to become even better innovators to enhance their successes in the future.