Wiltshire-based Corsham Institute has worked its magic to help more children engage with STEM subjects, thanks to a Harry Potter-themed summer challenge day.
Pupils from across Wiltshire headed to the charity’s Headquarters at Hartham Park on the edge of Corsham this week where they got to grips with potions and science to solve a Hogwarts mystery, as well as being challenged to enter Virtual Reality environments using the latest VR equipment and solve a cryptography treasure hunt, along with a host of activities designed to develop science and technology skills.
Corsham Institute is a not-for-profit organisation which works with children and adults to improve access to digital training and jobs in digital technology.
Project Manager Olivia Wolfheart said, “There is a growing digital skills gap across the UK with more young people being left behind by developments in technology and yet at the same time employers are telling us they are struggling to recruit people with the necessary digital skills.”
The year five pupils from Colerne Primary School and Corsham Regis Primary Academy also made binary jewellery, using different coloured beads to build their initials in binary code on bracelets and necklaces, competed to see who could create a protective environment to keep an egg from breaking when dropped from a height and were set an engineering challenge to see who could build the tallest freestanding tower.
Olivia added, “While there’s no magic wand, we hope that this summer STEM day will inspire more young people to look at careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths to help solve the growing digital skills gap.”
You can watch a short video of the Summer STEM Day here
As well as inspiring young people in STEM areas, the activities also encouraged creative thinking and teamwork which are valuable skills for all areas of life.
The event was part of Corsham Institute’s Children and Young People programme to encourage digital skills, creativity and safety online.