Racing Team!

Motor racing will soon be coming to The Swanage School in an exciting STEM project as we join the Greenpower IET Formula 24! Greenpower is an organisation that inspires and engages 11-16 year-olds in STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths - through a unique project to design and build an electric, single-seater car and race it on some of the UK's top racing circuits. You can find out more over on the Greenpower website and we'd recommend viewing one or two of their videos.

The car comes in kit form and needs bodywork adding, thus design and build are all part of the learning challenge. It can be taken apart and rebuilt with successive year groups so they can also benefit from the mechanical, technological and design aspects of the challenge.

We have taken delivery of our car and over the coming months will evolve the structure for involving students in this exciting project. We envisage this being student led, with a 50/50 mix of male and female students. The scheme represents a real opportunity to inspire students' interest in STEM subjects. For example, they will need to explore practical mechanics with consideration to mathematical modelling and scientific methodologies. Wherever possible, development of the F24 programme will be integrated into lessons to illustrate concepts and act as a platform for discussion of topics such as energy storage, drag, mechanical load, fluid dynamics and so on.

This is a wonderful way to bring STEM teaching to life and, as a national initiative, to broaden and enrich students' experiences outside of the local area - which in turn brings opportunities for travel and mastery of skills such as logistics, organisation and team-working.

We will work in partnership with local primary schools, inviting them to participate in RACE TEAM days at The Swanage School and other collaborative opportunities that the scheme may bring.

To help fund this project we are looking for partners and sponsors for the RACE CAR and our RACE TEAM, so please get in touch with us if your business would be able to become involve by providing technical/logistics support or if you can contribute financially by sponsoring the car. Contact DT teacher Alex Duke to register an interest.