Primary school children experience engineering excellence this British Science Week

Over 50 children had the chance to delve into the world of robotics, artificial intelligence, and more at the Engineering Centre of Excellence, Sellafield Ltd, highlighting the varied career paths within engineering.

Distington Community School's visit to the Cleator Moor-based centre involved pupils aged seven to 11 taking on engineering challenges.

The centre's team led numerous activities, demonstrating engineering's diverse career opportunities. Children constructed marshmallow and spaghetti towers, night rover robots, and paper rockets, and some experienced flying via a drone simulator.

Coinciding with British Science Week, which takes place from 8-17 March, the event aimed to spark interest in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) subjects among the young participants.

The hands-on activities provided students with a chance to apply their scientific knowledge in a practical setting, encouraging them to explore engineering as a future career.

Claire O'Connor, Socio-Economic lead at the Engineering Centre of Excellence, expressed her enthusiasm: “It’s always a pleasure to see the kids interacting with our team and enjoying all aspects of STEM. We enjoy these days just as much as they do, and we hope that the students from Distington left the centre with enthusiasm for a career in engineering.

“This is where it starts, the experiences you have at school shape your attitude and expertise for the future. We want to play our part in laying the foundation for the next generation of engineers and innovators.”

Students from Year Three to Year Six at Distington School found the activities engaging.

Scarlett, a Year Five pupil, shared her excitement: “There has been lots to do, and I’ve really enjoyed it. The drone simulator was my favourite, and I managed to drive it without crashing. I’ve never done something like that before.”

Olivia, a Year Three student, also had a favourite activity: “The Lego was definitely my favourite, I have Lego sets at home, but I got to build a robot with my friends here. We also saw a robot dog walk down the stairs!”

Distington School's teachers initiated the visit to enhance their science curriculum.

Steven Bragg, Year Four Teacher, and Science Lead highlighted the importance of the visit: “Science feeds into everyday life, and with so many STEM careers here in Cumbria we wanted to let the children see what was right on their doorstep.

“It’s been great to see them having a go at something different and they really enjoyed getting out of their comfort zone – we’d love to come back!”

This visit marks the first school group Sellafield's Centre of Excellence has hosted this year, continuing its tradition of engaging students, apprentices, and providing upskilling opportunities to future engineers in the region.