Bournemouth University has supported a local school to encourage its pupils to get excited about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) through building an electric car.
BU’s Schools Liaison and Partnerships Team has sponsored the St Peter’s School Goblin Car Club. Pupils at the school, which delivers both primary and secondary education, will design, build and then race their own electric car.
BU’s contribution has enabled the school to purchase two sets of racing overalls, a driver’s helmet and gloves, and a fabric bodywork wrap which will be designed, fabricated and printed by Year 12 textiles students at the school.
Starting with a ‘box of bits’, pupils will learn to build the car. They then have to learn how to fine tune, troubleshoot, and maximise performance, developing their understanding of forces, physics and engineering skills along the way.
The project will run as a lunch and after school weekly club for Years 7 and 8 and be delivered as an after-school club at St Peter’s RC primary school once a week.
James Laurijssen, Head of Design Technology at St Peter’s, said: “This is a really exciting prospect that St. Peter's School is now able to explore with this support from our partners and we look forward to racing at Goodwood race track in the National Finals of the Greenpower Goblin Event in 2022.
“Our Year 6s were over the moon to try on new driving gear and start the design process this term. They have already designed a range of logos and started thinking of a name for the car and now are looking forward to getting the chassis and kit to start our build and design of bodywork.”
BU’s Schools Liaison and Partnerships Team work with schools and post-16 education providers across the region, providing a programme of activities to support learning and help students make informed choices about study routes and career progression.
Schools Liaison & Partnerships Manager Rebecca Oliver said: “Bournemouth University is committed to supporting young people into careers in STEM, and are extremely proud to sponsor St. Peter’s School in the Greenpower Goblin race.
“It provides a great opportunity to promote the engineering and automotive industry, helping students to develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.”
Find out more about the work of BU’s Schools Liaison and Partnership Team
