Pupils from Minehead Middle school (MMS) have just been assessed by external experts for their work on “Looping and Repeating”, sponsored by Ada in Porlock. Repeating patterns and the looping of control systems are fundamental in all areas of nature, science & engineering and the pupils could look as broadly as they wished to understand how such scientific principles worked or could be used in engineering.
The work presented ranged from the life cycle of insects to the unbounded nature of the universe with pupils working individually or in teams and presenting their work as presentations, booklets, physical models and software programmes – just as Ada Lovelace would have done.
After a carefully considered and close assessment, the final individual winners for Key Stage 3 were assessed as Dan, Rebecca and Kieran with the team award going to a practical demonstration of “slime”!
For Key Stage 2, the individual winners were Lucas, Kayden and Aurora with the team award going to a physics description of a roller coaster – a popular theme for “Looping”.
Winners were presented with certificates and prizes
Charlotte Price, leading the activity at MMS, said, “For our first Science Competition I have been greatly impressed by the level of participation from our students and the quality of the work – both in terms of understanding the science and in presenting the ideas in imaginative ways.”
The competition was supported by the newly founded “Ada in Porlock” organisation, which is encouraging interest and uptake of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects in the local schools, using the legacy of Ada Lovelace – the World’s first computer programmer – who lived at Ashley Combe, just outside Porlock.
Dr. Stephen Colson, coordinating the activities for Ada in Porlock, noted that they are looking to expand their support to the area, “It is been hugely encouraging to see so many pupils wanting to work on science projects in their own time and we look forward to continuing this with Minehead Middle School next year and expanding it throughout the Beacon Trust schools in the area.”
If you wish to know more about Ada in Porlock, or could support our work with schools and the Porlock area, please see our website www.adainporlock.org or contact us at [email protected].