School’s STEM ambition
Morrison’s Academy has forged an exciting new partnership with Dr Margaret Ritchie from the University of Glasgow, founder of STEM Academy, Scotland.
The STEM Academy’s goal is to create a greater awareness of current research and career prospects in STEM subjects, and is an innovative university and industry-led programme, bringing together STEM subject academics, industry, student teachers and school pupils.
The academy provides hands-on workshops and activities with experts, enabling children to experience the real and exciting world of STEM.
Gareth Warren, Rector and former chemistry teacher, said: “For our young scientists and engineers, this programme is a great opportunity for them to see where STEM subjects could take them. It is a pleasure to watch the spark of curiosity ignite for a new generation of scientific and technological explorers from our school.”
While Dr Ritchie was visiting the school, she officially opened the school’s new Bauhaus suite, a dedicated STEM workshop, developed over the summer months.
This is a flexible multi-functional design space, with room for creative thinking and projects to grow.
All ages of the school will use the Bauhaus suite.
Morrison’s Academy launched a Primary STEM Programme in 2019 to inspire interest for STEM subjects at the earliest stages. The programme is woven throughout the primary’s curriculum and co-curricular activities. All Morrison’s Academy’s STEM lessons are driven and delivered by a dedicated team of specialist teachers
At the time, Mr Warren said: “It’s a personal passion of mine to get children interested in science as early as possible. Morrison’s Academy has a long tradition of scientific education and a number of notable scientists within our former pupil community, so it’s wonderful to be designing a programme that will prepare our current young people for a future yet to be imagined.”
Morrison’s Academy’s mission is to expand access to and interest in STEM activities, and to pioneer the teaching of these subjects in a dynamic way.
On any day, pupils could be learning maths in the outdoor classroom, making music with water-filled test tubes, or writing simple code on their iPads.
Dr Ritchie has already invited the primary five class at Morrison’s Academy to work with a group at the University of Glasgow on their special area of interest. Transitional pupils, in turn, have been invited to present their work from this year at the next STEM Academy live.
The primary teacher of STEM at Morrison’s Academy said: “We are delighted to have forged a strong working relationship with Dr Ritchie and to continue to negotiate real-life opportunities for our primary pupils in developing skills in the technologists and engineers of the future.”