News - Mid Sussex Science Week

Beech Hurst Learning Centre

Beech Hurst Miniature Railway Learning Centre

This is a wonderful new initiative that Mid Sussex Science is supporting and working with for next year’s 2020 Mid Sussex Science Week.

We hope you are aware of the fantastic work of the Sussex Miniature Locomotive Society do in providing rides on the miniature railway for families to enjoy each year at Beech Hurst Gardens. The Trustees of a new Charitable Incorporated Organisation, The Branch Line, have been working on raising funds for a new Learning Centre within the grounds of Beech Hurst that will provide a facility for local families to visit and learn about engineering and sciences associated with the railways and specifically the dying hands-on knowledge of steam engine systems.

The new Beech Hurst Science and Engineering Learning Centre aims to enhance the learning and public understanding of basic science and engineering, and raise awareness of locally available career paths in STEM. it will do this by building on the fascination expressed by the public, but especially by children, of miniature steam locomotives.

The MSSW team are passionate about preserving and inspiring the next generation of engineers and scientists and are looking to support this initiative in any way we can. We want to help ensure this facility is provided so our children can benefit from the knowledge on offer and maximise their opportunities in life.

It is important to preserve the history of our engineering and skills and as Haywards Heath plans celebrations of this history of the town this is something that could link very nicely with the school curriculum bringing together Science, Mathematics, History and English.

Furthermore, an opportunity for the children to get a hands-on approach of engineering facilities with access to experienced engineers and academics in the field is something that the children and teachers each year can look forward to.

Please help support this exciting venture so children can make use of this facility.

Bridging the Gap!

STEM Ambassadors from BSE3D visited schools in Crawley to encourage children to engage with engineering. Not only to give them ideas about engineering roles but also working on some fun experiments and setting them an interesting challenge.

The challenge, not merely to ‘build a bridge’. They must use their communication and ingenious inventor skills to design and then build it with the least amount of materials from a limited list of items and use parameters set for the bridge specifications.

The objective – to support a bottle of water on the central span for as long as possible.

Each student received certificates for participating in the challenge. Winners were chosen, not only for achieving the challenge objection but for their concentration and attention to detail of their bridges.

Well done to everyone who took part in the challenge and congratulations to our Engineering Winners!

Another successful Science Week 2018

We were delighted to see nine schools represented, producing an array of inventive projects to an extremely high standard showing presentation, design skills and originality.

Best Project Winners 2018 – Lindfield Primary Academy

They received their trophy from Sir Nicholas Soames MP and Mr Philip Todd, STEM Ambassador.

Schools were given an added challenge, to design and build a bridge that would support the weight of a bottle of water using the least amount of materials. The ultimate test, to ensure the bottle stays upright and in place for 5 seconds without the structure collapsing while in the judging test area.

Overall results

Best Project – 1st place Lindfield Primary Academy, 2nd place Blackthorns Primary Academy, 3rd place Bolnore Village Primary School

Design Challenge – Harlands Primary School

Students Choice – St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School

Well done to all schools who took part and look forward to seeing more of you in 2019.

Launch Event-16th February 2017

Mid Sussex Science Week 2017 was launched at Elvira’s Cafe, Borde Hill Gardens on Thursday 16th February. Attended by STEM Ambassadors and local school representatives, it was the first meeting outlining this year’s project and learning objectives.

It was a great event, enabling schools to meet their STEM Ambassador for 2017 and to start thinking of ideas of how they will approach this year’s topic: Volcanos.

Speakers:

Pete Bradbury-Chairman

Phil Todd-STEM Ambassador

Rachel Day-Project Coordinator, STEM Sussex

Steve Davis-Head Teacher, Warden Park Primary

2nd place winners 2015 – Blackthorns Community School

Their work entailed learning about lighting and how different light sources use differing amounts of electricity. They explored with powering energy efficient light sources using Solar Photovoltaic Arrays and carried out a new lighting design for their classroom in order to reduce the carbon emissions for the school. STEM Ambassador Philip Todd said “the children were a real pleasure to work with. They all dressed up in white lab coats on the day and had a great time.”