STEM Challenge Day sponsored by the ‘Rochester Bridge Trust’.

Pupils in Years 8 and 9 from the Design and Technology Department participated in a STEM Challenge Day sponsored by the ‘Rochester Bridge Trust’.

Working collaboratively in designated teams, pupils were required to design, construct, test, and present a prototype for a new bridge using a prescribed range of materials and equipment. Each team was required to operate within specific parameters and to select one of several proposed locations: Nature Valley, Riverside Park, the Industrial Sector, or The Marina. Considerations such as bridge span, load-bearing capacity, height, width, structural struts, and overall budget were integral to the design brief.

To reflect professional engineering practice, pupils adopted defined roles within their teams, including team manager, finance manager, designer, structural engineer, community lead, and marketing executive. In addition to producing a functional bridge model, teams were expected to prepare a promotional poster, undertake cost analysis, and develop a coherent marketing and branding strategy to accompany their final presentation.

The event offered pupils a rigorous and engaging opportunity to apply principles of engineering, design, and project management, while also enhancing their collaborative and analytical skills within a professionally simulated context.

Well done to all the pupils and congratulations to Rugved, Aarav, Sai, Nivaan, Ashok and Ethan for being selected as the overall  winners of the day.