This summer two Birmingham schools hosted STEM summer camps for some of their Year 10 students thanks to the generous support of Goldman Sachs Gives. The schools taking part were Bishop Challoner Catholic College and Wheelers Lane Technology College in the Kings Heath area of the city. The camps were all the more important for these schools because both schools’ Year 10 pupils had been affected by various ‘bubbles’ being sent home repeatedly over the last year due to Covid.
The three-day camps were divided into full days of Biology, Chemistry and Physics with students given the opportunity to do hands-on practical activities every day.
The second day of the camp took on a careers focus as students took part in a ‘guess my job’ activity where STEM Ambassadors had provided hints on their roles through their equipment, work tools and even their work clothing. There was also an ‘Illuminating Careers’ panel on the last day of each camp where STEM Ambassadors dialled into the classroom remotely to talk about their current STEM roles and the journey and subjects they had taken to get to there.
There was a real buzz in the camps with students happy to get their hands on lab equipment and work together. One student commented “We did this experiment last year but I don’t remember it. Being able to try it again for myself, not just watching a teacher do it, means I get it now - I get what it’s all about”.
Teachers at the camps remarked on what a brilliant opportunity it was for the students and how they noticed a marked difference in the students’ engagement now they were able to get involved in practical activities again.
A huge thanks to the sponsors, Goldman Sachs Gives, plus all the students, teachers and technicians who made them possible.
